zhuull
SB still lying to protect Racists what else is new
Would it really be any worse than that cringe inducing version from the last(?) Green Lantern cartoon?
With This Ring (Young Justice SI) (Thread Twelve)
- Thread starter Mr Zoat
- Start date
- Status
Headhunting (part 18)
- Location
- Hampden Park
27th July
02:57 GMT
Given that boarding actions are a feature of local warfare Citadelian bridges are designed to be tough. Bridge stations are fortified, protected by the same material as the outer hull as well as weak force fields. The whole bridge could be exposed to space without preventing anyone here doing their jobs. In addition, automatic gun turrets can emerge from the ceiling and the walls to support the standing marine force. In most fights it is massively excessive, and if I'd tried charging the marines working for me into here I doubt that any of them would have lived.
"Ready, Strike Team Leader?"
The main generators are already under the control of my branded marines. Between them and those we've killed, the Captain now commands a force that is about thirty percent of what he started out with and no way to counterattack. But the loyalists still hold the bridge -which on a Citadelian ship also contains the primary computer core- and the location I want to capture next. Exotic technologies.
The hulking Citadelian next to me makes the clenched right fist gesture of readiness. Then he appears to hesitate before returning it to his gun. "Master?"
"Yes. Speak."
"The soldiers inside. Two of them are my batch-brothers."
"I'll take them alive if at all possible."
"Thank you, master."
It's fascinating. Maybe it's due to their implants and how accustomed they were to having the First's thoughts constantly in theirs, but the Citadelians are adapting to the brand far better than I expected them to. I thought they'd end up like Doctor Jones, near-stupefied with their desire overwritten. As it is, other than a 180 in their loyalties they're just as functional as they were before. Or maybe it's their familiarity with the sorts of task I'm asking them to perform?
Exotic technologies is home to the device preventing me from transitioning and -as it turns out- phasing. Transitioning is useful but not essential. Phasing on the other hand is essential to my plan to take the bridge. It's also home to the ship's Psion work detail. None of them are top tier researchers but I suspect that we're about to run into something unpleasant.
Which is what Praexis Demons are for.
I don't even bother firing crumbler rounds at the force field protecting the doorway, I just wave my left arm and the Demons start sucking on it. Exotic technologies is quite close to the main generators because it needs so much power. The force field and 'facilities' stuff runs on internal power but there was a remote shut down built into the generator controls which was intended to be used in the event that one of the devices went wrong. Or the Psions did something the Citadel didn't like. Exotic technologies also has its own computer system which means that I don't have access to a record of exactly what they've got in there. Standard protocol says that if the shield is up then most of the marines have already left…
The force field goes down, my Demons faceplanting into the reinforced door beyond. Immediately, a Citadelian breaching team comes forward and stabs into it with the x-ionised blades I provided to them. Making precise cuts with the swords is not easy while wearing that armour, but trying to use explosives to get through would be an exercise in futility. A construct would work, but I don't want to give anyone watching more information on my precise capacities than I absolutely have to. And if those inside suddenly open the door I want the marines to take the brunt of whatever attack they've put together in my place.
Huh. Thinking about it, these guys might end up being the last Citadelians left. Sobering.
Cuts made around the edge of the door the breaching team plant clamps on its surface and get a solid grip. The second line squad moves up behind them, guns at the ready. Praexis Demons hover over their heads, ready to surge forward and eat anything that causes me any trouble.
"Breach."
The breaching team lift and push forward, the huge wedges of fortified door they cut free acting as palisades as they enter the exotic technology chamber. As soon as the gaps appear the Praexis Demons fly forward and flow around them. I get a flash of the interior as a plasma bolt from the marine squad inside destroys a Demon and sends it back to my ring. Six marines in cover behind heavy machinery. No support weapons. No sign of the Psions.
The palisades start to take hits, but the breaching team push forward to give the marines behind them space and a moment later my side opens fire. They're mostly just trying to force those inside to keep their heads down; there's no chance they could penetrate the door shields with the weapons they're using but they could get a lucky hit. I send a couple of Praxis Demons to get a look at the rest of the room-.
Agh, some sort of drone weapon. Small, but rapid firing and powerful enough to destroy my Praexis Demons. Eh, as long as you don't try shooting them in the mouth that doesn't actually take too much. The rest of the Praexis try swarming the marines, who respond by stepping back into cover and switching their guns to plasma-flamethrower mode. The Praexis Demons evaporate before their inferno, but that does obscure their line of sight somewhat. I dart forward, flying close to the ceiling as I move around the breaching team and lash out at the defenders' sides with orange beams.
"Nonono!"
Not a Citadelian, they don't breach communications discipline. Who else? Psion, presumably. This section has internal doors I can't scan past, but I can't-
Brand complete.
-tell which of them…
Brand complete.
I form a railgun and load a crumbler round and then fire it at the closest door. A circle of the sensor dampening material disappears, revealing a store room.
"Now!"
The universe slows. Really, they should know not to give me audible cues like that.
A door on the other side of the room opens… Quite quickly, for a door. Still pretty slow to me. On the other side three Psions are hiding at the back of a electronics workshop while a terrified fourth mans a stationary gun. Even as the door gets wide enough apart for me to see them there's a sort of small distortion in the air immediately in front of it. It was probably set to fire as soon as the door got wide enough open for it to fire. It's pointing directly at me so I start moving at the same time as I mentally signal the Praexis Demons to attack it.
Brand complete.
The closest ones will reach it in slightly less time than it would take me to create a laser construct and shoot it, and are far better at getting around defences.
Brand complete.
There's a faint movement in the air between the gun and I, which seems to spread out as it reaches the hot and electrically charged air between the Citadelians. What's left hits me a glancing blow… And doesn't appear to do anything very much. My construct armour trembles slightly but beyond that I don't appear to be affected.
End acceleration.
Compliance.
The Praexis surge forward, the one closest to the gun chomping down on the muzzle and biting it off. The Psion falls back in terror-
"I surrender! I surrender!"
And the one I assume to be either the most intelligent or the most desperate waves his empty hands to try and get my attention.
Brand complete.
Amplify.
Compliance.
"Accepted. Lie on the floor and make no aggressive movements."
They can't obey fast enough.
Brands complete.
That's the lot. "Cease fire."
Immediately, my marines stop attacking. I float in the direction of the cowering Psions.
The one who surrendered looks up from where he lies on the floor. "Please don't turn us into constructs!"
"Alright. I won't. But you work for me, now."
He nods and smiles in the most toady way he can manage.
"Now get up. You're going to be turning some of these devices off for me."
02:57 GMT
Given that boarding actions are a feature of local warfare Citadelian bridges are designed to be tough. Bridge stations are fortified, protected by the same material as the outer hull as well as weak force fields. The whole bridge could be exposed to space without preventing anyone here doing their jobs. In addition, automatic gun turrets can emerge from the ceiling and the walls to support the standing marine force. In most fights it is massively excessive, and if I'd tried charging the marines working for me into here I doubt that any of them would have lived.
"Ready, Strike Team Leader?"
The main generators are already under the control of my branded marines. Between them and those we've killed, the Captain now commands a force that is about thirty percent of what he started out with and no way to counterattack. But the loyalists still hold the bridge -which on a Citadelian ship also contains the primary computer core- and the location I want to capture next. Exotic technologies.
The hulking Citadelian next to me makes the clenched right fist gesture of readiness. Then he appears to hesitate before returning it to his gun. "Master?"
"Yes. Speak."
"The soldiers inside. Two of them are my batch-brothers."
"I'll take them alive if at all possible."
"Thank you, master."
It's fascinating. Maybe it's due to their implants and how accustomed they were to having the First's thoughts constantly in theirs, but the Citadelians are adapting to the brand far better than I expected them to. I thought they'd end up like Doctor Jones, near-stupefied with their desire overwritten. As it is, other than a 180 in their loyalties they're just as functional as they were before. Or maybe it's their familiarity with the sorts of task I'm asking them to perform?
Exotic technologies is home to the device preventing me from transitioning and -as it turns out- phasing. Transitioning is useful but not essential. Phasing on the other hand is essential to my plan to take the bridge. It's also home to the ship's Psion work detail. None of them are top tier researchers but I suspect that we're about to run into something unpleasant.
Which is what Praexis Demons are for.
I don't even bother firing crumbler rounds at the force field protecting the doorway, I just wave my left arm and the Demons start sucking on it. Exotic technologies is quite close to the main generators because it needs so much power. The force field and 'facilities' stuff runs on internal power but there was a remote shut down built into the generator controls which was intended to be used in the event that one of the devices went wrong. Or the Psions did something the Citadel didn't like. Exotic technologies also has its own computer system which means that I don't have access to a record of exactly what they've got in there. Standard protocol says that if the shield is up then most of the marines have already left…
The force field goes down, my Demons faceplanting into the reinforced door beyond. Immediately, a Citadelian breaching team comes forward and stabs into it with the x-ionised blades I provided to them. Making precise cuts with the swords is not easy while wearing that armour, but trying to use explosives to get through would be an exercise in futility. A construct would work, but I don't want to give anyone watching more information on my precise capacities than I absolutely have to. And if those inside suddenly open the door I want the marines to take the brunt of whatever attack they've put together in my place.
Huh. Thinking about it, these guys might end up being the last Citadelians left. Sobering.
Cuts made around the edge of the door the breaching team plant clamps on its surface and get a solid grip. The second line squad moves up behind them, guns at the ready. Praexis Demons hover over their heads, ready to surge forward and eat anything that causes me any trouble.
"Breach."
The breaching team lift and push forward, the huge wedges of fortified door they cut free acting as palisades as they enter the exotic technology chamber. As soon as the gaps appear the Praexis Demons fly forward and flow around them. I get a flash of the interior as a plasma bolt from the marine squad inside destroys a Demon and sends it back to my ring. Six marines in cover behind heavy machinery. No support weapons. No sign of the Psions.
The palisades start to take hits, but the breaching team push forward to give the marines behind them space and a moment later my side opens fire. They're mostly just trying to force those inside to keep their heads down; there's no chance they could penetrate the door shields with the weapons they're using but they could get a lucky hit. I send a couple of Praxis Demons to get a look at the rest of the room-.
Agh, some sort of drone weapon. Small, but rapid firing and powerful enough to destroy my Praexis Demons. Eh, as long as you don't try shooting them in the mouth that doesn't actually take too much. The rest of the Praexis try swarming the marines, who respond by stepping back into cover and switching their guns to plasma-flamethrower mode. The Praexis Demons evaporate before their inferno, but that does obscure their line of sight somewhat. I dart forward, flying close to the ceiling as I move around the breaching team and lash out at the defenders' sides with orange beams.
"Nonono!"
Not a Citadelian, they don't breach communications discipline. Who else? Psion, presumably. This section has internal doors I can't scan past, but I can't-
Brand complete.
-tell which of them…
Brand complete.
I form a railgun and load a crumbler round and then fire it at the closest door. A circle of the sensor dampening material disappears, revealing a store room.
"Now!"
The universe slows. Really, they should know not to give me audible cues like that.
A door on the other side of the room opens… Quite quickly, for a door. Still pretty slow to me. On the other side three Psions are hiding at the back of a electronics workshop while a terrified fourth mans a stationary gun. Even as the door gets wide enough apart for me to see them there's a sort of small distortion in the air immediately in front of it. It was probably set to fire as soon as the door got wide enough open for it to fire. It's pointing directly at me so I start moving at the same time as I mentally signal the Praexis Demons to attack it.
Brand complete.
The closest ones will reach it in slightly less time than it would take me to create a laser construct and shoot it, and are far better at getting around defences.
Brand complete.
There's a faint movement in the air between the gun and I, which seems to spread out as it reaches the hot and electrically charged air between the Citadelians. What's left hits me a glancing blow… And doesn't appear to do anything very much. My construct armour trembles slightly but beyond that I don't appear to be affected.
End acceleration.
Compliance.
The Praexis surge forward, the one closest to the gun chomping down on the muzzle and biting it off. The Psion falls back in terror-
"I surrender! I surrender!"
And the one I assume to be either the most intelligent or the most desperate waves his empty hands to try and get my attention.
Brand complete.
Amplify.
Compliance.
"Accepted. Lie on the floor and make no aggressive movements."
They can't obey fast enough.
Brands complete.
That's the lot. "Cease fire."
Immediately, my marines stop attacking. I float in the direction of the cowering Psions.
The one who surrendered looks up from where he lies on the floor. "Please don't turn us into constructs!"
"Alright. I won't. But you work for me, now."
He nods and smiles in the most toady way he can manage.
"Now get up. You're going to be turning some of these devices off for me."
Last edited:
- Location
- St. Louis
You know, I think I came across a work in progress of that once. here's a link
hance1986
The One Above All.
' loyalists '
' they've got in there. Standard protocol '
' marine '
' pushes '
RichardWhereat
Feanor did nothing wrong.
- Location
- Australia
Smartarse.
"Demons".
Also, since "Exotic technologies" seems to be a department name, you might want to capitalize the "Technologies" throughout the update.
"lift"
zhuull
SB still lying to protect Racists what else is new
@Mr Zoat
I'm a little confused with one thing in the last few chapters where you keep switching between referring to Citidalians and Gordanians. I know these are different species that are somewhat allied, but the way you keep using their names in the last few chapters makes it sound like they're the same people or I don't know what. It's very confusing.
I'm a little confused with one thing in the last few chapters where you keep switching between referring to Citidalians and Gordanians. I know these are different species that are somewhat allied, but the way you keep using their names in the last few chapters makes it sound like they're the same people or I don't know what. It's very confusing.
Speaking of which:
That implies he intends something rather drastic...
Yarudazuigu
Frostbyte's overlord.
- Location
- Poland
So ... Paul embraces his inner Overlord?
lostapenny
losing sleep to gain lost time.
"the breaching team life and push forward" probly should be lift.
Where is the Brand? There was supposed to be a desire subverting Brand?
Last edited:
fictionfan
Please sir, may I have some Meows?
- Location
- Tempe, AZ
- Location
- Australia
Yeah, I was really surprised OL wasn't branding the Psions like he was the Citaldelians.
Also - does anyone have any ideas why Paul is trying to capture this ship largely intact?
- Location
- Ashtabula
I've been assuming has something to do with finding and liberating the Braniac he wants
- Location
- Hampden Park
Thank you, corrected.
No, I think that one is correct.
Thank you, corrected.
No, I think I'll leave that.
Thank you, corrected.@Mr Zoat
I'm a little confused with one thing in the last few chapters where you keep switching between referring to Citidalians and Gordanians. I know these are different species that are somewhat allied, but the way you keep using their names in the last few chapters makes it sound like they're the same people or I don't know what. It's very confusing.
Last edited:
- Location
- U.S.
Any of a variety of reasons - a heavily-armed flagship is very useful.
zhuull
SB still lying to protect Racists what else is new
Or maybe the Princesses just wanted a comfier chair?
- Location
- texas
Well since I didn't type anything about worse and don't share your opinion about Aya, what I typed and what you think I typed seem to have little resemblance.
zhuull
SB still lying to protect Racists what else is new
I actually quite liked Aya in the early parts of that show. It was only the later parts where the writers decided to shoehorn in all of the nonsense with the Anti-Monitor that turned me off from it and their characterization of her.
There is only so much in the way of hamfisted bad A.I. cliches that one show should be allowed and they went way past that line. I suppose it stems from the same problem with a lot of Star Trek writers trying to portray Vulcans, the whole "logic" thing trying to be shown by people that have no idea what the word means.
**Edit-
And just to clear up any possible word choice confusion, I mentioned "worse" because you seemed to take issue with the degree that her character would need to be changed.
Last edited:
- Location
- Australia
Since when can OL recover from 'mental pathway damage' that fast? He went to the limit just at the end of last update.
- Location
- Hampden Park
Since it's a speed of plot contrivance I came up with to explain why anyone has a chance against him in a fight anyway.
Also, if you check the times you'll see that several minutes have passed.
Last edited:
Jamie Roberts
Hávamál 127
- Location
- N/A
- Pronouns
- she/her
I appreciate this kind of honesty, but that doesn't change the fact that I hope your next replacement will be more obsessive about these things.
SpokenSoftly
(Verified Fruity) (Potassiest Write-Tan)
- Location
- The nearest fruit bowl
No branding the Psions, it apparently fucks up mental processing and they need that to be useful. Like nerve stapling in Stellaris.
- Status