17th July
03:19 GMT
"I'll
do? I think I'll do rather better than-.
"
"What happened to the database?
"
"W-? I deleted it.
"
Her body shimmers as she pushes herself into a sitting position. I
offer her my now-ringless right hand but she ignores it in favour of staring at the ring I just gave her.
"Whatever for?
"
"I didn't know why you were unconscious and I don't know enough about Controllers to be sure what would happen when I put that ring on you. I thought that only having the data-
"
"This isn't the ring I made.
" She frowns at me.
"Where did you get it?
"
"I had to disarm a Green Lantern who was being mind controlled. He didn't want it back afterwards.
"
"Green… Lantern..? Oh, they finally got around to upgunning those
Halla people.
" She looks past me to the other Controller.
"Who are you?
"
I frown.
"Halla peop-? They discontinued the Halla three bill-.
"
"Ah-t!
" She gives me a stern look.
"Wait your turn.
" She points at the other Controller with her right forefinger.
"You. Speak.
"
"We no longer commonly use names.
"
"Oh,
that nonsense. I've no idea what
Kontross was thinking. And… Robes.
" Another shimmer and outer robes matching the male's garments appear around her, though she keeps her simpler clothes underneath.
"What did you
used to be called?
"
"Jevek Jos Jar.
"
"Oh! I remember you now.
" She leans a little closer.
"I do hope that face isn't standard issue. I had enough of
that when I was a Guardian.
"
"If you are comfortable with your present form, you are welcome to maintain it. The Gathering will wish to acknowledge your accomplishment when you have finished interrogating your test subject. I will leave you until then.
"
He turns away and drifts back towards the doorway… Which disappears once he has moved through it.
"And
you.
" She eases herself off the bier and stands on the floor.
"Why did you give me this purloined ring instead of my original one?
"
"Because I've gotten rather fond of it.
"
"Hmmm."
"Do you
want it back?
"
She turns away and starts walking towards a piece of machinery whose function I.. have.. no idea how to discern.
"No. You can keep it.
It's yours.
"
Propriety unlocked.
My ring flickers for a moment, then stills. Um. Okay?
"Thank..? You..? Okay… Mister Jar said that you made this ring-
" She begins checking the device over.
"-using your own orange light because you didn't have access to the Orange Central Power Battery-.
"
"Partially correct. I thought that the risk associated with sustaining my consciousness without it was too great to make the attempt.
"
"Okay, and that's a Bleed portal… Did you just throw it in and hope for the best?
"
"Not
quite, but that's not
far from the truth. Where are you from?
"
"Earth… Prime.
"
"And whereabouts is
that?
"
"The unfashionable end of the Western Spiral Arm. In a parallel universe.
"
"Ah. I wasn't sure that would happen. Which one?
"
"Prime…
"
She looks around from the thing she's working on.
"Using
standard notation?
"
"That's… The only name I've ever heard used for it.
"
"And no one had it before you?
"
"If they
did, I don't have any record of them. You didn't send it to me?
"
"I cast it into the void. I did so on the basis that it had to eventually come out
somewhere and as I am immortal I would live to see it. I wouldn't have been able to
aim it anywhere even if I wanted to.
"
I sag slightly.
"Darn.
"
"Concerned that you're not quite so special?
"
"I've been unable to contact my home plane for a year. I was hoping that you'd be able to guide me back. At least… Temporarily.
"
"Not immediately, but I can put it on the slate for you. Now, come over here.
"
"Why?
"
"Because I haven't seen many examples of people exposed to the orange light before. A handful of thieves and
Krona aren't really-.
"
"Krona!?
"
"Oh.
" She smiles.
"Have you met him? We worked together on the power ring project.
"
"He used time travel technology to try and view the alpha event, saw a giant hand and somehow fucked up the universe's development. The Guardians stripped him of corporeality, but he still manages to make a nuisance of himself.
"
"Ugh, there's always
one. Though, in retrospect, that makes his interest in orange in particular make a good deal more sense.
" She picks up the device.
"Now, hold still.
"
"What does that do?
"
"Since you still haven't given me a database I'm going to have to work out how you're staying so stable
manually. It
shouldn't hurt, but if it does-.
"
A construct yanks it out of her hands at the same time as I flick an orange data packet towards her ring.
"Here! Just
ask!
"
She blinks, tiny
flickers of orange flashing across her eyes.
"Then how would I confirm that you still had the ability to give people things? I saw the recordings made by the Guardians who confronted the ones who stole the Orange Light Fountain. Clearly they had been overwhelmed. You -on the other hand- haven't tried to take anything or to turn me into a construct. And I've been needling you in case your control was fragile.
"
"It's not about
control. It's about achieving unity with your desires and-.
"
"Yes. 'Enlightenment' you call it. What fascinating soul structures your species must have. And you don't have any trouble with it at all?
"
"I have the Ophidian in my personal lantern!
"
She
smiles.
"Good show. Now, why are you here?
"
