5th July 2010

Morning



"Is that right?"



"Yes. I was thinking… five hundred million dollars? Ten percent deposit by the end of the week, balance within two years?"



"I'm.. y… you want to buy the lantern?"



"Yessir."



I think I gobsmacked him, but his expression doesn't actually change much. The only things moving are his eyes and eyelids and he blinks.



"If the amount is insufficient-"



"Its not the amount, son."



He rubs his brow.



"What..? What exactly do you intend to do with it?"



"Well, first I have to check that it can be made compatible with this ring. Then, recharge. I don't really have any definite plans after that."



"Running low on power?"



"The asteroid mining I budgeted for, but you'd be surprised how much power internet background research can take. Ring, how much left?"



"Fifty two percent power remaining."



His eyes twitch.



"Your ring can talk. So you're, what, a member of the orange lantern corps?"



"That’s right."



"They didn't give you a lantern of your own?"



"I know, right! If I'd been anywhere but Earth I could have been in serious trouble! As it is, this ring is tied to the central power battery on Okaara. Its far too far to commute."



I know that people avoid looking at peoples faces when they are thinking. So much of the run time on the human brain goes into analysing other people's expression, you get measurably dumber when you look at one. He's currently studying his ceiling.



"Theoretically speaking, if I were not prepared to part with it, what would you do?"



"I'd try to persuade you to change your mind. If you were adamant… I'd just have to try somewhere else. Look, I'm on a bit of a deadline here. If you could give me some sort of indication-"



"Would you mind if I made a phone call?"



"Of course not."



He gets up and walks out of the room.



I think this is going reasonably well. I couldn't predict exactly how he'd react, and he seems more confused than alarmed or irritated. I had no way to tell how big a deal breaking his secret identity would be. I still don't, really. Surely everyone who had a personal grudge against him would be either dead or in their dotage by now? Not Mordru, obviously. Never found him interesting as character but he was certainly powerful. Vandal Savage is probably around as well… and I didn't bother to look up either of them, damn it!



Mr Scott didn't strike me as the sort to have wireless internet, and stealing someone else's access while in his house didn't seem like a good idea.



I can just about hear Mr Scott's voice outside the room. Can't make out what he's saying. Tone seems to be conversational, with occasional rises for emphasis. Does he have a mobile? I would have guessed not, but maybe I'm being unfair to old people. If he's standing just the other side of the door, then it must be a mobile as there wasn't a phone in the hall. Or… I know that my ring enhanced by vision when it altered my body. Is my hearing better? I didn't think so, but if Mr Scott is a couple of rooms away…



The conversation stops. I hear another door open and close, then nothing. That’s a bit rude. I get up and walk over to the window. Nice day out. Reasonable temperature -though that could be the ring-, grass in good condition, trees swaying in the wind and a nice view, even. The trees in the parks Mum used to take my sister and I to when we were little were usually packed together into areas of woodland. Here, one or two would stand in isolation with large gaps between them.



"Proximity alert! Will detected!"



That explains where he went. Understandable that he'd want his ring as well, I suppose.



I watch a family walk down what appears to be the main path through the park until the door behind me opens. I turn to see Mr Scott holding his right hand at chest level and flexing his fingers.



"Been a while since I've worn this."



His ring is larger than I was expecting. Certainly larger than mine. I don't remember what his looked like in the comics. Didn't he just cut a circle of metal off the Starheart container? This one sort of looks like someone stuck a tiny model lantern on it. It actually looks cheap and a bit silly until he moves the funnel to an angle at which I can see the glowing green core.



"Sixty nine, you said?"



"Hm? Oh, no. A few times since then. Not exactly active duty…"



He looks slightly distracted as he sits back in his chair. I stand at ease -thank you Scout Association- facing him.



"Can I ask if you've made a decision?"



"You know, I've had people after my ring before. Criminals, super villains, the occasional government official. I've been offered bribes more times than I care to remember. I honestly don't think anyone has ever tried to just… just… tried to buy me out."



"Is that a 'no'?"



"It’s a… it's a… God damn it, what do you want me to say?"



He lets out a short laugh. Bemusement to amusement? I'll take that. He rubs his forehead with his right hand, then stops and looks at the ring again.



"So what does this…. orange corps of yours do, anyway?"



Sit in a cave full of precious materials and eat rotten food? Go completely mad? Turn people into constructs?



"There are few restrictions on my personal conduct. I am empowered to act in the best interests of my sector, as I see them."



"So what exactly is the difference between what your people do and what the Green Lantern Corp does?"



"I have a greater degree of personal freedom while they are limited to law enforcement. A Green Lantern might prevent someone destroying a bridge, or repair it if they weren't fast enough to protect it. They won't ever use their ring to build one, even if the greater good could be served by doing so. An Orange Lantern should never be expected to clamp down their desire to help people."



"That so? And what would they say, if I asked them?"



"They'd say, 'Orange Lantern, what are you talking about?'"



"Not so well known?"



"There are not many of us, at present."



I don't think any of that was a lie.



"The Green Lantern Corps is run by the Guardians of the Universe, right? Who runs your corps?"



I don't actually know. Should probably check.



"The technology employed in power rings was developed on Maltus. When the various political factions of that world experienced, well, 'irreconcilable differences', they agreed to separate. The Guardians -who favour to green light- went to Oa. The Controllers -who favour orange- remained behind. In terms of ideology the two groups seem rather similar, but when things get tense… tiny differences…"



He nods.



"Creating a green construct is an exercise in willpower, mental focus. Is that how your ring works?"



"No. The orange light responds to avarice."



That didn't go down well. He slides to sit on the edge of his chair and leans forwards.



"What exactly do you mean by that?"



"The more I want the construct, the more I want the outcome the construct is being created to achieve, the stronger the construct."



"And if you don't want it all that much?"



"Then it would be very difficult for me to act. With the ring at least. In extremis, the ring might actually prevent me from acting."



My eyes drop to the carpet. I don't know for sure that can happen, but it seems logical. Might actually have to watch out for it.



"That sounds unreliable."



"I… I suppose it is. I haven't had a problem so far, though."



"So what happens if you're short of cash, you walk past a jewellery store, see a valuable diamond? You don't have to will taking it."



"Money's not really my thing. If I need to buy something, well, I mentioned before that I'd done some asteroid mining?"



I take a single platinum coin out of my leg bag and toss it to him.



"I'm not sure exactly how much its worth, but I don't imagine funds are really going to be an issue."



He nods, turning it over in his hand.



"And if you walked down a beach, saw a pretty girl..?"



Is he? Shit, he's implying…



"I'm not that sort of person!"



"You're a young man. Understandably, you have urges in that direction. Most people have good enough control of themselves that they aren't a problem, but you've got a power ring on your finger that responds to your desires, and from what you've told me, the stronger the better. And you want me to give you a tool for recharging it. Understand why I have concerns about this. "



Fuck you old man.



"That could only happen if my sex drive completely overwhelmed my desire for social ingroup affirmation and intrapsychic rule compliance reward!"



"So what do you want to use it for?"



I don't know! I'm too angry about you calling me a rapist in waiting to think clearly!



"This world is dangerous. I don't mean getting hit by a car or being mugged or something. People deal with roads all the time and petty theft is well within the abilities of police. But if a fire throwing metahuman or if some rampaging monster or alien warlord or whoever it is today starts smashing people for fun, people can't deal with that. At Earth's current level of technology there are things most people are not safe from. I can, I can use this ring to make them safe."



" And why does it have to be you? "



"Because I went to sleep in a nice safe world with no aliens, no magic and no superhumans and I woke up IN SPACE, over this madhouse, with this ring on my finger. And I know exactly how dangerous it is around here with your giant robots and super powered psychopaths and the only thing that makes me feel even slightly safe is this ring. Your lantern represents the best way for me to keep it charged; if you'll sell it to me or lend it or rent it, then great! If not, fine. It's your property, but I would appreciate an answer now so that I can try and make other arrangements. "



Then the doorbell rang.



"Mind if I get that?"



"Oh, go ahead. Its your house."



He walks out of the room and I try to calm down. Why the hell did he do that? I try to listen to the hall but all I can hear is my own pulse. I sit down heavily on the settee and make fists. My aura is back at full intensity. I've actually formed a construct chest plate. I can see it as a definite outline within the glow. Hooray for conscious ring control. Calm, calm. I run the first part of the first mission of Goldeye for the Nintendo 64 through my mind as a relaxation exercise. It worked during my MRI scan. Step forwards, free aim at the guard's head, fire once or twice depending on difficulty setting, rush across the open area to the tower, shoot the patrolling guard and then move around the back of the tower to shoot the guard against the wall. Up the tower, pick up the sniper rifle and kill the two guards in the tunnel. And now I'm feeling better.



Then Mr Scott walks back in with Wonder Woman.



Leotard with star pants, golden tiara and double-ues, red body section. Boots. Goodness, I don't think I've ever seen a woman so muscular before. The breadth of her shoulders and the definition of the muscles of her arms are really quite pleasantly impressive. Her armour was made by Hephaestus, wasn't it? It isn't skin tight, there's definite depth to it. The outer layer is some sort of red material but I think I can see tiny threads of silver…



"Yes?"



Wonder Woman just caught me checking her out. Think fast!



"Bracers. Lasso. No sword or axe. Standard armour, rather than civilian clothes or the golden plate. A professional occasion, but not one where heavy resistance was expected. I'm afraid that I don't know you well enough to draw further conclusions."



I rise and meet her eyes.



"Good morning your highness. Orange lantern two eight one four at your service. It is my pleasure to meet you."



I perform a shallow bow. I think I got away with it.