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

[Mr Zoat]

16th July
11:55 GMT

"Orange Lantern Two Eight One Four." I pull all but a handful of Praexis Demons back into the rings and send the rest to the entrance to keep watch. "Do you have injured?"

Tarant glowers. "That doesn't-."

"Yes, we do." Another Darkstar strides past their defences. Another Zambaii. Ooh, this could get awkward if they knew one another. "We will gratefully accept any assistance-" I transition to the other side of their barricade. "-you feel able-" The shot that hit the woman I saw earlier burned through her armour, skin and muscle and lightly charred her organs. Another fellow… I think that's a fellow, has numerous burns all across his body where his armour has been punctured by multiple smaller strikes. "-to give."

"Medical records please!" Okay, scanning. Nothing on the second guy's species but the woman conforms more closely to the standard humanoid template. I still need to copy her body chemistry but at least I know where everything is supposed to go. Huh, and no temptation to 'improve' things. Blackened and roasted organ tissue evaporates and is replaced by fresh brown/green. That looks… About right. Anything obviously toxic in the blood..? No, right, best I can do then. Fat, muscle and skin and I hope her species doesn't have belly buttons.

"Here." The man who asked for my help thrusts a data pad at me, then starts as he sees what I've already done for his colleague. Another Darkstar is applying some sort of purple gel to the man with the… Odd head.

"Thank you."

Ring, absorb all data.

Compliance.

Ah, good, their umbilical cord equivalents attach to their arms. And the other fellow… The gel is a sterile wound cover and regeneration aid, but it won't do anything to prevent the internal damage killing him now. Orange light flares again-. Amphibious filter-feeder? Curious, but alright. Major blood vessels are the most important thing, hearts… Okay, good. Nerves… His eye snaps open, staring at me-.

"Calm down, Threllian." The blue skinned woman next to me waves her left hand in front of his field of vision to be sure that she's got his attention. "He's on our side."

"Reach? Scarab?"

"Dead."

His ears wiggle in a way I don't have information on. "S-scarab, dead?"

Phil strolls over and drops down next to him. "Yeah, buddy. New guy and Tarant squished her good." His armour's battered as well, but the energy field is throwing off my scans so I can't tell whether or not he's carrying injuries.

Threllian suddenly relaxes, and I scan him to try and work out why. Everything.. seems to be in order. If it's some sort of brain shutdown thing-.

The Zambaii rests his right hand on my armour's shoulder. "Thank you. If-."

"I don't know why he's not more alert." I hold up the datapad. "Are you sure this is complete?"

The blue-skinned woman who had been ministering to him stands, pushing her hair back as she does so. "We've been fighting constantly for three days. Frankly, I'm a little surprised that any of us are still on our feet."

I straighten up. "If your physiology is anything like mine, you'll crash in a little while." I turn around in the air. "Anyone got any non-critical injuries they want me to look at?"

Tarant uses his armour's force field to float past the barricades. "Yeah, my leg, where she hit me. Feels like she fried the nerves and broke the bones."

"I'll need you to deactivate your personal shield. I can't scan through it and you don't want me best-guessing something-"

"Hahahahahaha!" The Khundian throws his head back and guffaws.

"-like.. that."

The Zambaii moves to support Tarant as he sits on a fortification and deactivates his shield. The moment it's no longer contained his leg flops limply, though the man himself gives no indication of discomfort. Scan… I generate a construct-brace to hold his leg in the correct position as I push bone fragments into place and fuse them into a whole.

"How is any of this funny?" I recognise the voice as belonging to Operative Lotta. She's a green-skinned woman with… Sort of… Pink things dangling down the side of her head. Too thin to really be described as lekku. "We nearly died, we could-."

"I know! Ha! Wasn't it great!?"

I shut off my construct. "Try putting weight on it now."

He gingerly puts it on the ground, testing it before standing under his own power. "Good work. Lot better than the last robot doctor I had."

Robot..? I look at my own armour-encased right arm. "Oh, right. Sorry, let me just…" My armour disappears into subspace, replaced by my lighter version. "There. Now, as I said:-" I bring my hands to my chest. "-Orange Lantern Two Eight One Four. Or-"

Ring.

"Paul."

"-if we're being informal. I'm here because I need an introduction to the Controllers. And because the-" I half-turn to take in the rest of the room, battered corpse of the former Beetle and the half-eaten Reach soldiers. "-Reach are dreadful people, obviously."

"Yeah. They are." The green-skinned man takes a step forward. "Operative Munchukk."

The Zambaii nods. "Operative Ferrin."

I point out the ones I know. "Operative Phil, Operative Tarant, Operative Threllian and Operative Lotta…"

The blue woman nods. "The woman you healed is Operative Rayyana. I am Senior Operative Merayn Dethalis." Her eyes narrow slightly. "And I would very much like to know what you are. If the Guardians have repudiated their treaty, we need to know about it."

I shake my head. "Sorry, but I am -currently- a free agent. That's rather what I want to talk to the Controllers about. I… Sent a ship to Maltus? Should have arrived about half a year ago?"

She shrugs. "I haven't been back to Maltus for three. We're only based there in a technical sense. It's so hard to get into Reach territory undetected…" I nod. "But providing you with an introduction is the least we can do. We need to evacuate anyway; with our cover blown-."

"Weren't you listening, Mery?" Phil sits up, clearly struggling to remain straight-faced. "He blew up their ship. No ship and no Scarab Warrior. And with all the soldiers who died here, that means-."

Tarant's eyes widen. "No real defences around their embassy or brainwashing factory. If we hit them now-."

Operative Ferrin nods. "No reinforcements. It might be two years before they can send replacements."

"I'm in." I raise my eyebrows at Senior Operative Dethalis. "If you want me. I want to make a good impression."

"You realise that you'll be making an enemy of the Reach?"

"Bit late for that. Besides, people like the Reach? If I've become their enemy… Then I'm probably doing the right thing."

She nods and holds out her right hand, a holographic image of an industrial plant appearing in the air. "Then this is where we're going…"

 

[Mr Zoat]

16th July
15:37 GMT

"How do you know about us, anyway?"

The Darkstars' exo-mantles might not have the raw power to let them fight Beetles, but it turns out that they're very good at hiding. So good that they've ordered me to keep back just in case my systems show up more than theirs do while they move into position around the building containing the Reach's trade mission. I'm not sure whether or not I should be offended by the fact that they trust Phil the Khundian, a member of a species for whom violence serves the same social role as sex does in my own, with command of our part of this task.

Then again, given how much violence I've engaged in and how little intimacy, maybe I shouldn't be quite so quick-.

"Hey, you awake in there?"

"Sorry, yes." Concealing information is contrary to my interests, but there's the question of presentation… "I gained access to a partial Green Lantern Corps database a while ago. They monitor Reach activity fairly closely."

I half expect him to make some insulting comment. The Guardians may have made the sensible decision where the Reach are concerned, but I doubt that anyone left fighting Reach soldiers, ships or Beetles is exactly going to thank them for it.

"Right."

He keeps his attention focused on the monitors the other Darkstars are wearing. Ultra-secure feeds interpreted by their computer systems to allow near-perfect monitoring… Still something I could probably set up back on Earth, though the computer would be far larger and the communications less secure. I watch over his shoulder as the group moves past the internal security monitors and personnel like ghosts as they move towards the control systems.

"We're a… Way from Khund here."

"Yeah."

More importantly, they're dodging the actual monitors. The Reach know full well that regular security wouldn't stop a Darkstar, but apparently they hold out hope that it would distract them from the real threat, stealthed detection systems designed to report their presence to either the ship or the local Beetle. The Reach would happily sacrifice what they've built here to stop a Darkstar team, but -Operative Lotta isolates the first suicide demolition charge before evading a scanner- as things stand they're just going to sacrifice everything.

"So what brought you here?"

"Fighting. Those power rings you're wearing?"

"Yes."

"Guardians trying to work out a way around the treaty?"

"Not as far as I know."

"So where'd you get those rings?"

"Second one I got from a fight with a Green Lantern. First one, I still don't know. I just woke up and there it was."

He nods. "I met my first wife like that."

"Which?"

"Both! Which was awkward, because I hadn't actually killed her husband!" He turns to look at me, grinning. "Eh? Hahaha!"

I shake my head politely. "Honestly. What sort of woman doesn't check the body first?"

Operatives Ferrin, Munchukk and Tarant get into position to use their exo-mantles to generate false signals while Operative Dethalis accesses the central computer.

"Yeah, and that's why basic education should be universal." He returns his attention to the screen. "You get anything from those pilots?"

"Yes. I'd ideally like more information on this species' neurophysiology to be certain, but it shouldn't be too hard for me to reverse the physical alterations. But that doesn't do anything for the socialisation aspect, for modes of thought they've already adopted."

"Right." He turns away and walks towards the balcony. "Come on then. Our turn."

My armour reappears around me. "I haven't been able to scan the chief negotiator since we arrived. How are you sure that she's there?"

"I've spent a lot of time working out how Negotiators think. I don't know if they're actually clones or not, but they all do the same sort of thing in situations like this." We pass through the dampening field and he fades from view as his exo-mantle's stealth systems activate. I follow his lead and activate my armour's phasing and invisibility systems. "Right now, she's in the Principal Building trying to assure the government of the Reach's commitment to their.. relationship." He lifts off to fly over the capital and I follow on behind him. "There'll probably be a joint public statement as soon as his boss has told him that a new ship is on the way. You showing up has probably delayed that, because they don't want to risk it if the Guardians are doing something."

"So why are we going there the slow way?"

"Because if they think there's a Lantern around, they wouldn't go anywhere without every bit of Lantern-disrupting technology they can get together. You know what happens when you Lantern-FTL into-?"

"Yes, I do."

I see the clear dome of the Grand Assembly auditorium ahead of us. In theory, Urrigen's government is supposed to be open and transparent. As such, they meet and debate in a chamber that can be viewed from the outside. In practice, the growth in central government function during the post-unification era means that the citizenry only see the top of the dome poking out from the surrounding office complexes.

Obvious metaphor is obvious.

Looks like the Assembly is in session… Phil starts to lose altitude, heading for the near side of the dome. I accelerate, flying over the apex and turning, dropping down until I'm precisely opposite him. I remove one of the Darkstar's teleport jammers from my left leg. Clever little multiphasic thing; I can attach it to a structure without coming back into phase and rendering myself detectable.

"Done."

A new party begins filtering into the auditorium, various aides and… The Convenor, with the Negotiator not far behind. And a small squad of Reach soldiers not far behind her. The assembled representatives quieten down and rise to their feet as the two of them approach the podium.

"Ready?"

I fly upwards once again, extending my arms towards the dome.

"I think so."

Hooray for terrorism.

"Enter on four. One-two-"

There's a flare as his breaching charge activates, cutting a hole in the dome and allowing him entry. A maser shot hits a Reach soldier in the neck and another slices off the Negotiator's right forearm.

"-three-"

A third shot hits a Reach soldier's gun just as he brings it to bear, causing an explosion which sends him flying backwards with his chest burned to a crisp. Another soldier deploys a force field barrier while a fourth tries to run to the Negotiator. Phil drops his stealth and increases power to his masers, both hands coming together to generate a shot powerful enough to burn through the braver soldier's chest plate. He falls to the ground, shuddering in pain.

"-four."

I come back into phase, giant construct talons pulling at the dome even as I grab control of the broadcast systems to prevent them cutting the feed. Huge chunks of bombproof material fly away as the dome fails before my attack, and I toss it behind me as I float inward and release the Praexis Demons. Assembly security storm inside only to be forced to duck and hide as my horde makes its attack runs. They're under strict instructions not to eat anything that isn't Reach, but they can actually deliver quite precise bite wounds.

Phil storms up to the Reach soldier behind the force field, using it to partially cover his approach. As the soldier comes out to take a shot he accelerates, drawing a long blue-glowing knife. He takes a shot to his force field and stabs, blade passing easily through the soldier's own defences. The soldier falls back and starts collapsing, so Phil grabs hold and slashes his blade through his foe's chest before tossing him back and turning to face the horrified Convenor.

"I got the floor?"

 

[Mr Zoat]

16th July
15:43 GMT

The Reach Negotiator tries to covertly reach under her robes and activate her emergency teleporter, freezing as she realises that it's inoperative. Another button press gives her emergency anaesthetic, causing her to gasp with relief.

The Convenor makes a vague twisting motion with his right hand. "Security, stand down."

"Aw, really?" Phil grins and heads towards the Convenor's podium. "You sure? I'll spot you my masers?"

"What do you want, terrorist?"

I drop my own invisibility and hold out my hands, projecting a construct image of an Urrigenian brain.

"No one?" Phil looks around hopefully for a moment, then sheathes his sword. "Alright, fine. Business it is. My orange friend up there is showing a picture of your brains." I generate a second image. "And this is your brain on Reach neurotech. Please pay careful attention to that bit near the front." I switch to a cutaway image which more clearly indicates the issue. "A lot of people in your military… And more than a few of your representatives in here have had this done. Improved short term memory and spatial awareness… And an inclination to be subservient to their Reach masters." He reaches the podium, kicking the body of a Reach soldier out of the way as he does so.

"Fortunately for all of you, we Darkstars know a Reach plot when we see it. We know everyone who's had this done and we know how to reverse it." There's a ping inside my armour. Our colleagues have hit the Reach planetside command centre. "And we also have recordings proving that the Reach violated what your government told you was their deal and used their military forces -including a Scarab Warrior- on your planet." He slouches against the podium. "Not to labour the point, but they've done everything we told you they would when we first got in contact eight years ago. We're releasing all of this onto your planet's communications network now. Check what I've said. Check our evidence. Ask your representatives why they've spent eight years lying to you."

He looks up at me. "Orange!"

I extend my right hand to my right, one representative glowing orange. A cut away image of his brain appears just above him. Clean. Another is highlighted, his brain showing the characteristics of Reach modification. I purge them and he collapses bonelessly into his chair. I know from the pilots that he'll be fine once his brain has had a few minutes to adjust. And the next…

As the assembled representatives see their colleague collapse there's a concerted charge for the exit. Phil shakes his head as I have the Hellwraith manifest between them and the doorway, then create an orange barrier just behind that.

The ground rumbles as I continue to work my way around the representatives, flashes of fear from those who know they're on my target list matched by the relief of those whom I pass over. One or two of the more intelligent ones are no doubt noticing that I'm not just striking down those in favour of more cooperation with the Reach… Or maybe that won't be evident until they've had time to review events.

"And that was the Reach trade mission. Hey, guess what?" He turns to the Negotiator. "That makes you the last Reachian left alive on the planet."

"We are a peaceful.. trading empire." She does her best to scowl, but her species don't have the most expressive faces and the drugs in her system are making it even harder. "We're trying to help this world advance. To meet its full potential."

"Just like all of the other places you wiped out. We'll be including them in the data packet too."

"No one will trust your word. You are a murderous thug."

"No." Phil raises his right arm and points it at her head. "I'm not a thug. I'm a soldier. I've got a cause and I've got discipline."

There's a hiss from his maser, then her body collapses as her head evaporates.

He watches her body for a moment as I continue to purge Reach technology from government officials. "Damn. I thought she might have some kind of super mode or something."

"She was a peaceful diplomatic envoy!" The Convenor finally recovers his voice. "You have no idea what you've done to our world by killing her!"

Phil turns back to him, a slightly saddened look on his face. "And you actually believe that, don't you?" He looks up towards me. "You nearly done?"

"I think so." Done, done, done, and a last beam illuminates the Convenor himself.

Nothing.

His brain is unmodified.

He looks up at me as I come in to land. "Surprised?"

"Regrettably, no. Still, I would like to hear why you sold out your world."

"Sold out…" He shakes his head. "I read your files when you people first arrived. You know full well that no world has ever successfully resisted the Reach. I knew that they would take us, one way or another. So I decided to help them conquer us with the least resistance in the hope that they would leave us to manage our own affairs under their dominion. I know from your own records that there are worlds that are permitted that much freedom."

"Yeah." Phil nods. "Until the Reach decide to take it away and their minds are too altered to think of resisting."

"And how many worlds have bled and died and been abandoned by your Darkstars?! How many knew they were lost the moment they started fighting?!"

"Every. Single. One." Phil looks contemplative. "Sometimes the Darkstars die with them, sometimes they fall back to fight again. We've resettled billions away from Reach space, but those places who wanted to fight to the last, they all knew what it would mean. They prepare, they train… Then… Someone in their government gets controlled or turns traitor and the next thing you know there's a whole fleet in orbit because apparently that's enough to make it Reach territory. Then they die, probably killed by expendable soldiers from other slave species. I've seen it happen three times and I admire the people who did it more than I can articulate. But… You?"

Another hiss, and another headless body hits the floor.

"You sicken me."

He floats up into the air, force field shimmering. "Alright! You all know what we've done and why. If any of you escape being killed by your own citizens, get in touch."

I pull in the Hellwraith and the Praexis Demons, following him up and through the hole in the dome. Police attack drones have formed a perimeter, but we both go into stealth mode far too quickly to get a weapons lock. Then we're both heading up, up and away, aiming for a point far above the city.

"I thought that went well."

"I bow to your superior experience. What happens now?"

"Not sure. Depends on their government. A planet that keeps its head can stay free of the Reach for hundreds of years."

"You really evacuate worlds? There wasn't anything about that in the Guardians' database."

"The Controllers can reshape worlds. It's not easy for them and it's not quick, but… Yeah. We can. We get about half of our recruits from those worlds. Threllian comes from there. The Reach butchered most of his people to use their brains as computers."

"Oh."

"If they weren't evil, I wouldn't be fighting them. Alright." He comes to a halt. "I'm staying on-planet, but Ferrin and Rayyana are taking our cruiser back to Maltus. They can introduce you to our bosses."

There's a ping inside my helmet as I receive the coordinates of the ship.

"Thank you."

"Any chance of the rest of us getting rings like yours? I know it's probably a big deal, but one or two-."

"Phil. I intend to do everything I can to ensure that the Darkstars get as many rings as they can handle."

 

[Mr Zoat]

17th July
03:06 GMT

The thing about not being a Lantern is that you're limited to the speed your ship's drive can manage. And when your ship is designed more for stealth than speed -and when there's a good chance that the Reach are sending ships after you because shooting criminals isn't covered by their treaty with the Guardians- it can take a good deal longer than I'm accustomed to in order to get anywhere. Having my awareness of the universe external to the ship blocked by those same stealth systems is also a little unnerving, but… Well. That's what most people deal with when travelling.

I exhale slowly as I sit on the floor in one of the ship's empty cabins, hands palm upwards on my knees with a ring floating above each one.

Finally, after over a year, I'm going to meet the Controllers.

This is either going to be a start of something magnificent or a complete car crash.

I mean, I sent them a Guardian ship with a request for a meeting. I'm having a hard time believing that they couldn't send a single person to Earth to say hello. I mean, there are only nine Guardians left and they still managed to send Appa Ali Apsa to spend a couple of weeks just.. driving around America with Lantern Jordan and Mister Queen. There's no way them ignoring me isn't supposed to be sending some sort of message. I just don't know-.

There's a chime from the door. "Orange Lantern, we've arrived in the Sto-Maltus system."

"Thank you for letting me know, Operative Rayyana."

"May I come in for a moment?"

"If Operative Ferrin can spare you, by all means."

The blue metal of the doorway.. vanishes, Operative Rayyana standing behind the space it occupied. Standard pattern humanoid female with skin that's a sort of.. pale orange, a black strip tattooed across her nose and cheeks. With her exo-mantle thoroughly wrecked by the same shot that nearly killed her she's wearing a partially armoured spacesuit decorated in Darkstar colours. Her eyes take in the room and then drop to me with an expression of mild embarrassment. "I'm not.. interrupting you, am I?"

"Oh, no. I completed the essential part of my meditations hours ago." Rings still floating over my palms I rise to my feet. "Is there something I can do for you?"

"I wanted to thank you in person for healing me."

"You're welcome."

She looks away from me, the slight movement of her fingers where they rest against her thighs betraying her discomfort. "I should have said something sooner, but with the rush to get everything together, then you closeted yourself in here…"

"It's not a problem."

Her eyes move to the rings. "I've never seen a Green Lantern do that before."

"Most don't learn remote ring control beyond what they need to call their ring to their finger from a few metres away. I used to find dimming the orange light's influence on my mind… Helpful. Now it's more a habit." I close my hands around them. "How long will it take us to reach the planet?"

"Only a few minutes. Since we don't have to worry about the Reach here they're going to reach out and grab us."

I frown. "Reach out and grab-?"

The ship shudders and oh that's weird.

Operative Rayyana nods. "Like that. No one gets to use FTL inside the system, but our bosses don't want to wait for us to report in."

I nod and walk slowly towards the exit, Operative Rayyana stepping back to allow me into the corridor. "Where will you be going?"

"We'll submit our report and recommendation to Regional Administrator Sleer Prigatz. He's the officer responsible for the part of the Reach periphery where we work. It'll be his job to decide how to prevent the Reach coming back."

I nod. "That's-. Oh, ah, which way to the nearest airlock?"

"This way." She gestures with her right hand. "I'll show you."

"Thank you."

"He'll probably want to meet you. If you're planning on sticking around there are plenty of places that could use someone who can fight Scarab Warriors."

"You can't?"

"Standard protocol for encounters with Scarab Warriors is to run and hide. We just don't have the raw power to fight them. When we can't do that… A squad of maxim-suits attacking from ambush can take one down if they catch them alone, but… It wouldn't be a sure thing."

I nod as we walk down the corridor. "Maxim-suits?"

"Like Tarant wears. They're the heavy combat variety. The rest of us are optimised for other things. Exo-mantles… I could fight a whole army from my homeworld wearing mine. The Reach just make better systems for their Scarab Warriors."

"Will you be reporting to the Controllers at any point?"

"If they ask for us. But I doubt they will. I've been a Darkstar for nine years and I haven't even seen one up close before. The only Darkstar who regularly speaks to them is the Director, Huvah Jeddigar. If you can wait a few days, he should be able to arrange an meeting."

"There are Controllers on planet now?"

"I… Think so? I don't really think about them too much." We come to a halt next to an airlock and she calls up a holoscreen. "Welcome to Maltus."

First good look at the place I've had. Huge, hive-like cities appear dotted across the continent below us. At the periphery they cut off suddenly, the area outside of them being what looks like pristine nature. In other places settlements in a strange mishmash of styles are visible.

"Population, twenty billion."

What? "There are that many Controllers? I assumed that they'd be like the Guardians, only a few of them."

"No, most of that's…" She hesitates. "Clickers."

"Clickers?"

"Their actual name is more like.. 'click, click-click, scrape click', but since most of us can't make that sound we just call them Clickers and have our translators worry about it. They're a pseudo-insectoid race that the Controllers… Indentured, in exchange for helping them alter their physiology. The other places are inhabited by Darkstars and our support personnel, and refugees. Not all Maltusians are Controllers. The Controllers only have about thirty or so members, and there are hundreds of other Maltusians all doing their own thing." She expands one of the mixed-design cities, focusing the holographic display on one particular building. "This is the Darkstar headquarters, where we'll be heading."

"And the Controllers?"

She moves the image to focus on a.. fairly nondescript building made out of what looks like red stone. "Here. This is where they spend their time when they're not busy with something else. I assume they live there, as much as they live anywhere."

"Thank you. Would you mind terribly letting me off here, then? I think I can probably get their attention and I do rather need to speak to them as soon as possible."

 

[Mr Zoat]

17th July
03:11 GMT

"You want..?" She glances at the airlock door and then back at me. "The Controllers are ancient, powerful and from what I've heard not the easiest people to get along with. Do you really think just turning up is the right approach?"

"I've got a creature more ancient and powerful than them inside my personal lantern. I want to establish a very particular dynamic in my relationship with the Controllers and… We have a saying on my world: start as you mean to go on." I fully focus on her, eyes glowing orange. "Why is it that you work for them?"

"My people's homeworld was taken over by the Reach centuries ago. The descendants of the refugees they helped get away live on a world they made for us. I owe them, and I owe the Reach."

"I don't owe them anything, as far as I know. I want to suggest something… Help them do something that's far more in their interests than mine. I'm not approaching them as a supplicant."

"I don't know what you could offer people who can build planets-."

"A Central Power Battery. An object that would let them stand as equals of their Guardian cousins. Not to-."

"More Lanterns! The exo-mantle's powerful, but it's nothing compared to a power ring!"

"Just so. So I'm going to be a little pushy." Rings settling on my ring fingers I wave my right forefinger at the airlock door. "So, would you mind?"

She nods and starts pressing buttons. "I'll let the defence systems know that you're coming."

I smile. "Appreciated. Being shot would rather put a dampener on things."

The inner door fades to nothing and I step through. Hm. What else could I do to make my point..? Ah, of course. My armour and robes vanish into subspace, the cloth which emerges to replace them pulling itself tight around me to create a uniform obviously designed to match what the Green Lanterns wear. A bright orange patch front and back, a little like a female one piece swimming costume. Dark grey for the arms and legs, then orange boots and… White gloves, I think. And… Okay, and a tiny mask. I'm labouring a point, not dressing in a way that makes any sense at all.

I open and close my hands, getting used to the pull of the fabric. I look like a… A superhero. Oh well, it had to happen eventually. At least there's next to no chance of me seeing combat around here.

"Good luck!"

"Thank you." The door behind me fades back into existence, then the atmosphere begins being sucked out. I float off the ground, drifting towards the outer door. So close. I hold out my right hand and call my personal lantern out of subspace, taking a firm grip on its handle. Having the lantern on hand should further reinforce the parallel.

You ready in there, Ophidian?

We will get many you now? And then squash the Gnat?

I like to think that it will take you a little while to find someone as good as-

You will always be my favourite.

-me… Um, thank you. It will probably still be a little while before there are any other Orange Lanterns, but dealing with Larfleeze should probably happen a little sooner. Hopefully days at most.

I will be patient.

You should also remember that-

The outer door fades away, giving me a clear view of the planet below. Sto-Maltus is shining brightly today, making the greys and pale browns of the inhabited areas blend into the surrounding countryside. At night I imagine that the density of inhabitation means that the cities are brightly illuminated while the other areas are pitch black.

-the people we're going to meet are the Guardians' cousins. They'll probably look fairly similar to you.

They will be mine?

In the sense that they'll be working to establish the Orange Lantern Corps, I hope so. Please don't try eating them.

I will not eat them.

Okay then.

I float out of the ship, immediately altering my velocity relative to the ship so that it pulls away. Right, mapping? Orange lines appear in my vision, marking out cities, busy areas of sky and my eventual destination. I begin flying towards the planet… Nah.

Ophidian.

Yes, my Agent?

Out you come.

Yes, my Agent! The Green Cousins will quake at my magnificence!

The core of my lantern erupts with orange light as the Ophidian pulls herself outward and into the material universe. She starts small, her head easily fitting through the aperture as she undulates into space. The ring starts sending me 'weapon lock detected' messages immediately… But if they had anything that could stop an Embodiment I doubt that the Reach would be giving them such trouble. The Ophidian continues to grow as she pulls more and more body free. Her head is now as wide as my shoulders and her body is now broad enough that it can't come directly out of my lantern. Rather, it emerges from the orange glow just in front of the core.

The Ophidian coils upwards into the space 'above' me, her face constantly pointing towards the planet. It is a fascinating sight when looked upon with empathic vision; more dots than I can casually count paired with areas where the colours just cut out. I'm not surprised that the Controllers have ways of blocking it. In fact, it's reassuring that they haven't abandoned emotional spectrum technology completely. That means that it's a virtual certainty that they can make rings. I wasn't significantly worried about that, but it's nice to know that I don't need to.

My lantern has one last blast of orange light as the Ophidian pulls the tip of her tail free, then drops down to its usual levels of illumination. Doesn't.. look.. any the worse for wear. Good. I tighten my hold and accelerate upwards, generating a construct saddle just behind the Ophidian's head.

"You wish to ride me, my Agent?"

"It would probably make a stronger impression."

She bends, her head descending underneath me. Then she stops. "Let them never forget our arrival."

"Tally-ho, then."

The planet's surface wheels past as she dips her head again, then we're shooting forwards in a way which would have utterly terrified me a little over a year ago. The Ophidian wants to go somewhere and we're going there. It takes seconds before the atmosphere is being shoved aside by a faintly glowing orange barrier, then a handful more for the closer two hive cities to shoot by as we head towards our destination. More weapon locks every second and I'm fairly confident that the Ophidian doesn't have my scry immunity. I can see our target growing larger ahead and the Ophidian dips again, aiming herself between the largest rows of buildings. The Controllers' building is in the exact centre of the city now flashing past us, showing that they haven't completely abandoned the Guardians' ideas on order and structure.

We're moving too fast for my eyes to really pick up on individual things. The air cars are clearing the skies, but the Ophidian casually flows around any that haven't got the message. I see… Oh, those are the click click-click scrape clicks. They look a bit like armoured caterpillars, their forelegs and mandibles acting as manipulator appendages. Interesting.

Up ahead I see our ultimate destination, and… A single individual stands before the front entrance, arms folded behind his back. I'm assuming his based on the lack of breasts; my scan isn't showing me a thing. His robes are blue and red and show a courageous amount of thigh. His eyes seem to be blank white spaces while the glow from the talisman around his neck is matched by the glow from the centre of his forehead.

Finally. A Controller.

 

[Mr Zoat]

17th July
03:14 GMT

The Ophidian slows, turning aside to fly into the space around the Controllers' building. As my saddle passes the point closest to the main entrance I unclamp myself and leap free, descending in a controlled manner towards the bottom of the steps leading up to it. The Controller's face is inscrutable, motionless but for the oscillation of the light coming from the dot on his forehead. I land lightly, keeping my eyes on the Controller as I begin walking up the steps.

What other traffic is in the area has come to a halt or is frantically pulling back in order to get out of the Ophidian's way. Having already completed a circuit of the building her head pulls upwards slightly for another circuit. Still no reaction from the Controller and no sign of any others. This isn't a sensible way to behave. If they think I'm a threat there should be more of them than this. If they've accepted my version of events they should have been a good deal friendlier.

On the other hand, these are the Guardians' cousins.

I reach the broad plaza before the entrance, the Controller about twelve metres away from me. Three steps later I stop, holding his gaze. Then I look upwards and slowly turn around, taking in our environment. The people of various species pressed to the overlooking windows or staring down from their air cars. Mostly -ugh- Clickers, but dozens of other species as well. Including a small group of three bald mauve-skinned humanoids with scalp tattoos. Unaligned Maltusians. Interesting.

I complete my circuit and return my gaze to the Controller. Then I bow my head and genuflect.

"Orange Lantern Two Eight One Four reporting for duty, sir."

The sense of yellow I'd been getting from our audience noticeably dips. Ring-based facial analysis -of the humanoids anyway- suggests curiosity and wonder. Perhaps they think the Controllers were expecting me? At least I don't appear to be seeking a fight.

…

How long is he going to-?

"Come."

There's a faint rustle from his robes as he turns, floating just above the ground. That's it? 'Come'? Well. Alright then. I come to my feet and raise my lantern high with my left hand.

"Ophidian. Return."

"Yes, my Agent."

She twists in the air, shrinking as she comes closer. The Controller slows in his passage, turning his head slightly to catch a glimpse of the Embodiment of Avarice flying back into my personal lantern.

No, he's not looking at the lantern. The lack of pupils makes it hard to tell-.

He looks away again.

My lantern flickers as the Ophidian completes her entry, some of the air cars around us resuming their journeys. Most seem content to watch me follow my nominal superior inside the Controllers' building. Through the entrance and… From this side there isn't a door. Very nice.

"I was hoping for a little more than a 'come'. You did get the ship I-."

"It was the property of the Guardians of the Universe. I assume that the wooden boxes were part of your species' funerary traditions."

"Yes. I didn't know anything-" He continues moving, floating up a slight of stairs towards a doorway on the first floor. "-about yours. It didn't seem inappropriate."

"We are above casual offence. Only a deliberate insult would be received as such."

"You got the Burning Martian?"

He stops. "A fascinating specimen."

"Would you like to add anything to that?"

"We had already parted ways with our Guardian brothers when those events occurred. Your missive implied that you were interested in undoing the damage to their planet. This may be possible."

"Good, because I was-" He starts moving away again. "-hoping to-" I try flying directly after him. And I can't, I just stop when I get a certain distance from the floor. Inwardly rolling my eyes I fly towards the stairs and try catching up. "-establish a working relationship. I'd like your advice on recovering the Orange Central Power Battery from-" He moves through a doorway and turns a corner. "-Larfleeze and will you please stop and listen?"

"You are not reporting to me."

"No, but I'm trying to? Did you not-" I turn the corner and he's a little way ahead. "-read the rest of my message? I want to establish a Lantern Corps to fight the Reach."

"That is not how we conduct our affairs. You are not my direct concern. You are the concern of one of my sisters. Approaching you without her would have been inappropriate."

"Okay, so, why didn't she come and talk to me?"

"Physical incapacity."

I'm right behind him as he turns through another doorway, leading us to… Some sort of high technology laboratory. I don't have any record of what most of this stuff does but the ring's picking up about seven different sorts of exotic energy-.

That I do know. That's a bleed portal generator. Those are pretty darn uncommon. Usually the aim is to get through the Bleed, not get into it directly.

Further in I see a bier… No, a medical station of some kind. Another Controller lies upon it, motionless. She's also wearing blue and red, not robes but simple trousers and pullover. Thin white hair is bound in a tight bun. There are screens around the bier, and I walk past the first Controller to get a better look.

"Can you read it?"

I nod. "Hinon Hee Hannanan. Controller. Researcher. Forger of.. rings..." Oh. My eyes widening, I hold up my left hand slightly. "She made this ring."

"Yes. Doing so without the Orange Central Power Battery undid her connection to the orange light. She has remained in this state ever since."

"How long-?"

"Long enough. If we are to work together, we will do so through her. She forged the ring you now wear as a sign of her hope in the future. She believed that a bearer would appear, and so you have. Restore her."

"And if I can't?"

"Then you are not worth our time."

Okay… I walk over to stand right next to her. If she's lost her connection to the orange light, clearly what she needs is a replacement. I look down at the ring she made for.. someone. Maybe, but I'm really rather attached to it.

"Original ring? Stewart ring? Separate file and charge reserve."

"Compliance." / "Task complete."

"Stewart ring, blank database. Original ring, copy all files you had before I woke up in space onto the Stewart ring."

"Task complete." / "Compliance."

I put my lantern down on the floor and pull the Stewart ring from my right ring finger. Fingers crossed. Gently as I can I take hold of her left hand and lift it from the bier, then slide the Stewart ring onto her middle finger before laying it back down.

A wave of orange light passes through her, her eyes slowly opening to take in my face.

She blinks, then tries focusing again.

Then she sees me.

Her face remains neutral as she considers me for a moment.

"You shall have to do."

 

[Mr Zoat]

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?"

 

[Mr Zoat]

17th July
03:23 GMT

"The Guardians have -at various times- reached the conclusion that there are groups whom… It's not that the Green Lantern Corps couldn't beat them. In most cases. It's that the casualties they'd take doing it and the devastation that would be unleashed are such that… They decide it isn't a good idea to take things that far. One such group are the Reach. As long as they capture systems through negotiation the Guardians won't stop them."

"You have a problem with that?"

"When the definition of 'negotiation' can be stretched to include drugging the planet's population so that they believe everything you say and when accession eventually results in the subjugated species being broken up for parts, yes."

"Oh dear. That wasn't a clever contract."

"I'm too far away from the time to judge it properly. In any case, the Controllers -via the medium of their Darkstar agents- are contesting the Reach's expansion. I think they could do better if they had a Lantern Corps to use either instead of or as well as."

"More to the point, we ourselves would be more powerful. But I'm not hearing why that matters to you."

"I have certain beliefs about the way the universe should operate."

"We've all got those. You still aren't-." Her eyes widen.

"What?"

"Nine. Only nine of them left."

"The.. Guardians? Yes."

"When we parted company there were thirty three. Even after the Manhunters did their level best to kill us." She winces, her right hand going to her forehead. "I should have.. realised that some of my old colleagues would have been killed. It simply shocks me that it's been so many."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

She lowers her hand. "You didn't know them well enough to be saddened by it." She twitches in irritation. "And they're all names and faces I recognise, they haven't recruited at all. Or had babies. Foolish."

"And that's one of the reasons why it's so important to put you on an equal footing. As peers, you could call them out on their follies. I tried asking my local Green Lanterns about what they would do if the last of the Guardians died and they couldn't come up with an answer."

"Yes, we're a stubborn people. But I think Ganthet at least would listen to me. What's in it for you?"

"Self-actualisation. I used a-."

"Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Interesting concept, though I don't think it's accurate. Not for all species, at least."

"I used it as a tool. Early on, structuring my desires helped me cope with the orange light. The point is, having dealt with most of the basic things, I'm left with… Altering the universe to be more pleasing to me. The fact that places like the Reach exist does not please me. They destroy the sorts of things I value existing, affront ideals I hold to be true. And if what a few time travellers have told me is accurate, they'll be coming for my homeworld… Ah, Earth Sixteen-"

"You can use standard notation!"

"-is due to be invaded by them at… Some point. I like my homeworld. My friends live there. I keep my stuff there and we're doing some really interesting arcanotechnological research and development… I've invested in the place and I'm not having someone mess it up for me."

"You want to deal with them while they're someone else's problem because they'll eventually become yours."

"You could put it like that. I doubt that the species about to be overrun by the Reach will be all that fussed. Look, I thought I made a pretty good guess about what the Controllers would want out of this. Given that you can see how mentally stable I am I really don't understand why we're still discussing this."

"Because putting you on the back foot is advantageous to me."

I blink, my mouth opening slightly and then closing again. "Thank you for letting me know. "

"And I'm interested in the sort of person the ring I created found. I'll have a look, later. See if I can track down that 'Earth Prime' of yours."

"You see? A convergence of interests. We both want things and the other can supply them. This is how a properly composed Orange Lantern Corps should work."

She tilts her head slightly to the side. "You don't have the Orange Light Fountain yet. It's a little premature to speak as if this is a done deal. There were reasons why the Guardians were reluctant to press Larfleeze after he killed Ogandu Onna Oslan."

"Which is why I'm talking to you rather than just taking it from him." I frown. "And why are you calling it a Light Fountain?"

"Haven't you noticed how much smaller it is than the Green Central Power Battery? According to the database you acquired the Green Central Power Battery is fifteen metres tall. The device Larfleeze clasps to his bosom is little larger than a normal personal lantern. Did you think all that extra mass was decoration?"

"I… Hadn't really thought about it."

"The green light was… Least complicated. It did as we willed it. Even the Manhunters could use it without experiencing further.. disruption to their systems. And their emotional range was extremely limited." She turns away, heading towards another piece of equipment. "Our studies in harnessing the orange light were far less advanced. It certainly wasn't ready for… Ring application."

"What do the extra mechanisms do?"

"Oh, thousands of things. Stopping the power constantly radiating outwards, for a start. I see that Larfleeze has had some interesting… Visitors, over the millennia? We could also make the flow of power a little less… Corrosive to the minds of its users. Not.. completely. We focused our efforts on the green-" She reaches the device and waves at it, a shimmer passing through its numerous spines. "-light for good reasons."

I remember Richard and Jade's reactions. "That would be helpful. Would it help Larfleeze?"

"Would it-?" She turns to me with a frown. "Help. Larfleeze?"

"Would it?"

She blinks. "An immortal marinated on the orange light for three billion years with only his own madness for company?" Her face relaxes slightly. "It would make a fascinating case study, but I honestly have no idea. Perhaps…" She strokes her chin with her right hand. "If we created a shielded environment and weaned him off it…"

I take a neural chaff generator out of subspace and float it over to her. "I was thinking… If we used something like this? Interfered with his mind so he couldn't use his power, then stuck the Battery-. Ah, Fountain, in something that blocked it off..?"

The chaff generator shimmers and disappears, reappearing in front of her. "Hm. No, this wouldn't work on his brain. Not anymore. Still, it's not a bad approach. Assuming you don't want to try wresting it from his cold dead hands..?"

"Knowing his life story, I just feel sorry for him. If I had to kill him I'd do it. He's too much of a menace to leave as he is, regardless of other considerations. But if taking him alive is a possibility…"

Another shimmer, and the chaff generator opens up in an exploded view.

"What a fascinating device…"

"So..? Is this something we can work on together..?"

"Perhaps. I'm certainly interested. Tell me how you see our working relationship developing in future."

 

[Mr Zoat]

17th July
03:27 GMT

"What, you and me?"

"I was rather thinking of you and the Lantern Corps you're intent on gifting us with. But yes, I rather imagine that I'll be taking a lead from the Controller side." She looks at me curiously. "Do you know why?"

"Social cachet from your gamble actually paying off. I'd…" I look away for a second as I consider it. "You're a post-scarcity society. You have been for virtually all of your history."

"No, there's always a scarcity of something."

"Not food, shelter or consumer goods. Not the things most species -even quite advanced ones- think of when they hear the term. Why are there so few of you?"

"We intentionally limited our expansion so that we wouldn't overrun the universe. Something that was well within our abilities. We stopped breeding voluntarily to give the rest of you a chance."

"So… You value… What? Influence? Creativity?"

"Influence, mostly. As a species… We never really got fiction." Her face creases up. "I don't know why. Heru once suggested that it was because we'd never needed myths to explain things… That seemed a bit 'neat' to me, but he might have been on to something."

"Power rings -and my orange one in particular- are your development. Which means that you've earned the right to.. control how this happens."

"Well done. Six out of seven."

"And out of nine?"

She narrows her eyes slightly. "You know about those, do you?"

"Three guesses where the Guardians put the-" I make the 'seven-lines-radiating-outwards' sign with my fingers. "-for safe keeping. And which has at least one person capable of tapping into the black?"

She sighs in frustration. "What a fascinating planet you come from."

"Live on. I come from the Prime version, remember?"

She waves it off and returns her attention to her equipment. "Bah, we're getting off topic. My plans for this depended a great deal on exactly who turned up. You've been planning this for a while and you know you better than I do. How do you want this to go?"

"Three other members of my species have worn orange rings. Two started exhibiting extremely unusual behaviour almost immediately. The third had a mission… I didn't have the opportunity to talk to him while he was wearing it. And the Gordanian Admiral had an attack of megalomania when he put one on. I'm concerned about how stable potential recruits will be. And I don't want Controllers handing out rings to create fire-and-forget weapons out of people who want the Reach destroyed more than they want to live."

"Not unreasonable. But there seems to be a war going on."

"I have a list of names. People I think might work well for the first batch of recruits. I would teach them my techniques myself, and be on hand to bring them down if they started going off the rails. Though from what you were saying, having a proper Central Power Battery might help with that. Perhaps… Most importantly, I've also got the name of a man whom I think could run the organisation."

"You don't want to do it, but you know a man who does."

"I think he will. I need to.. check some things. Once we've got the Central Power Battery secured. And… Once that's done, he can probably come up with a way to screen potential recruits for the right psychological characteristics better than I can."

She looks back at me for a moment. "I may possibly have something to add to that."

"Most of the species we'll be recruiting from weren't even sophonts when you were last awake. And he's going to want to know that he has control over the organisation which he's organising."

"I'm.. not.. sure.. I.. like.. where.. this is going."

"The way I see it, orange rings -and the people who use them- work best when they're doing what they want to. We won't be finding the most avaricious people we can, we'll be selecting those who want things useful to us. Someone who wants to be in charge is going to want to be in charge."

"And what do you think we Controllers are going to do? Sit around looking pretty?"

"In theory, anyone with a connection to the orange light can make new rings. But it isn't quite that easy, is it?" She gives her head a small shake. "Larfleeze has piles of rings, but they all used to be people. We'll-."

"Except for the prototype Krona and I created. The very first orange ring. Bit of a kludge job, to be honest. We never thought that we'd use it in the field."

"Does it have any special abilities?"

"No! It was a first effort! I'd be embarrassed to see it now. No AI worth talking about, no control assistance… I'm much more pleased with the one I made for you."

"In future, you'll have the other Controllers to assist you. But my point was, your hold over the Corps comes from the fact that they need you for rings and guidance as well as everything you-. Ah, the other Controllers do for the Darkstars now."

"Unless you do that. I can feel the Ophidian in your personal lantern."

"Even better! You're very useful to them, they're very useful to you, but if relations totally break down you can both survive. Weakened by the separation, until you get over yourselves and patch relations over."

"You don't want us being in total control?"

"No, I don't think that's a good idea."

"Did you miss the nameplate on the door when you came in? I can't see the Guardians accepting that sort of deal with their Corps."

"Is it better for your ego to have people follow you because they have no choice, or for them to have a choice and choose to follow you? And in any case, I like to think that the Controllers still have the social skills necessary to negotiate the power arrangement."

"I wouldn't be so quick to overestimate us. We used to be Guardians, remember?"

"And then there's the Darkstars-."

"Who are used to us being in charge and will probably provide the majority of our recruits."

"I was going to say, who will need a new focus. And who don't have much direct contact with the Controllers save via their Director. They run virtually all operations themselves because that's the only practical way to do it. If the war was going to come more into the open… Well. You Controllers are capable of reshaping planets. How quickly can you build warships?"

"A good deal faster than we can now if we could replenish ourselves from a Central Power Battery." She looks pensive for a moment. "It's not a terrible idea. I'll want to talk to this Director-."

"Clarissi."

"Hah! Very well. This Clarissi candidate. Because your whole plan rather falls through if they can't hack it."

"Reasonable. Now, about Larfleeze…"

 

[Mr Zoat]

17th July
03:27 GMT -5

"…nice to meet a couple who are so open in their love for one another."

I watch the devices Scott is waving at me as I lie back in what feels unnervingly like a dentist's chair. I've never really had much of a fear of dentists, but I used to deal with the discomfort of having them prod and poke at the interior of my mouth by going completely limp. Now, that isn't happening.

"Uh-huh."

Barda isn't the tough-on-the-outside-but-soft-on-the-inside type. She's tough the whole way through, and having Ghia'ta chirping at her about her one emotional 'indulgence' isn't doing much to improve the usually surly attitude she adopts when forced to spend any time in my presence. Still, after 'still in love with his dead wife', 'in love with a woman who'll be spending the rest of her life in a supermax prison' and… My own… I suppose it's only fair that I show her a relationship that's actually working as it's supposed to.

To be honest, I'm not totally sure where I'm going with Ghia'ta. She has the potential to be tremendously useful, particularly if my ultimate plan is going to revolve around white light manipulation. Or just generally; that staff isn't a power ring but it's only one step down, and her combat skills are notable. I wonder if she can learn to use New God-.

"Ping!"

Scott glances at his Mother Box, then back at me.

"Alright Scott, what's the news?"

"You're recovering pretty well, actually. I was pretty sceptical about your violet light infusion, but it actually looks like it's really helped."

I nod sagely. "You see-."

"Though it was still pretty stupid." He leans back against a nearby bench, folding his arms across his chest. "You should have asked me to come along and check what they were going to do. Zamarons might be ancient and wise but they don't know New Gods like I do."

"Scott, that was an act of desperation and confusion. I clearly wasn't thinking straight."

"Should the fact that your instinctive response was to dash off without the guy who spent two weeks putting you back together make me feel better? Or worse?"

"Ahhh." I dip my eyes for a moment. "You… Have a point."

"When you first greeted me as your brother, I was pretty sceptical. And Barda…" He glances at his wife, who raises her eyebrows a little. "She was fairly sceptical too."

"I thought I was growing on her, after our sparring sessions. Though I suppose that may have been the concussion."

"My point is, if you want us to have an actual family relationship… You're going to have to trust me with a few things."

"I-. I do. I'm not… Used to having family I can trust either. Not… New God family. I mean… When I was on… Earth Prime…" Can't honestly say I had a particularly close relationship with my sister, either. We didn't get on badly or anything, just… Not much in common. I nod. "Okay… You have a reasonable point."

Scott looks up a the ceiling for a moment. "That wasn't as painful as I thought it would be."

"If you're missing that Apokoliptian flavour we could beat each other with pain sticks for a while… Though even.. now I'm still quite a bit stronger than you." Barda shifts slightly, a thin smile on her lips. "Probably not… Stronger than her…"

"Let's not. Look, Zatara tells me that you've got some kind of Vampire/Succubus hybrid in your mountain."

"Yes, I picked them up on an island-."

"And you're trying to teach them how to rise above their instincts."

"Yes?"

He sighs. "To free themselves from themselves?"

I flop back, my head hitting the headrest. "Ooooooh. Damn." "Ah. Sorry. That… Should have occurred to me… But it didn't." Um. "Are you free now?"

He bows his head, smiling. "I can be. But in the interests of honesty-."

"The Justice League want us to spy on you." Barda nudges Ghia'ta aside as she walks closer. "They want to be sure that you're not up to something."

I roll my eyes. "Yes, Barda, getting Anti-Lifed was all part of my master plan. You might want to avoid eating any jelly babies for the next few months."

She doesn't look impressed. "They'd probably be less worried if Darkseid hadn't paid you a visit. You nearly destroyed the whole Light perfectly, then you misjudged Darkseid. What happened to you could have happened to everyone."

"What Barda means is-."

"No, she's being pretty clear." I nod. Not as if I had anything critical planned that I need to hide from the League. "Alright. A bit of fraternal bonding wouldn't go amiss. And… In the interest of deepening our relationship… There's… Something I've been planning on doing for a while for which your help would be invaluable."

Scott looks mildly interested. "Oh? What's that?"

"I destroyed Father Box for betraying me to Darkseid. Thus: I need a new Box."

"Ping!"

"Alright, if you want to be pedantic about it: I'd like a new Box."

Scott strokes his chin with his right hand. "Any Box you got from Apokolips would have the same loyalty problem as the one you stole from Desaad. And I don't think you can really afford to steal one from New Genesis."

"That would be sub-optimal anyway. What I really want is a Box designed for me from the ground up." I smile faintly as I look from Scott to Barda. "I understand that you're both acquainted with their creator."

"You want Himon to make-?" Scott seems to find the idea amusing. "That's not going to happen."

"Why not? I mean, I can manufacture element x, which I don't imagine is easy for him to do on Apokolips. I can.. pay him." Scott and Barda glance at each other. "Oh, come on, the guy helped the flipping Captain of the Female Furies escape Apokolips and his daughter married Orion. I somehow don't think that he'll hold Darkseid against me."

"You can't go to Apokolips." Barda appears to be taking the idea seriously. "With that much Anti-Life in you, Darkseid will know the moment you step through the hush tube."

"Then it's a good job my brother is the sneakiest New God in existence, isn't it?"

Scott nods to himself. "Grayven having a Mother Box would help with-." Barda narrows her eyes at him. "It would. A Mother Box could monitor him to make sure Darkseid wasn't influencing him. She might even be able to work out how to exorcise the Anti-Life fragment completely."

"Ping!"

"Yes, I know it's optimistic, but it's possible. Okay. We just need to get in touch with Amazing Grace and then-."

I frown. "Why would you want to do that?"

"She's a resistance organiser. Himon has to move constantly to stay ahead of Darkseid's troops, but-."

"Wait no wait.. no. Amazing Grace is a plant. Darkseid has her draw people willing to resist him to her so that he can kill them and use their deaths as an intimidation tool." Scott and Barda stare at me. "She's completely loyal to him. I.. thought you knew that."

Barda's jaw tightens. "No. We didn't."

"Well… Shit." Um. "You have to-."

Scott nods. "We'll need your hush tube. Let's go!"