tushanshu | 004 ◉ audio; dated to the 14th

004 ◉ audio; dated to the 14th

[ The audio clicks on and there's a long pause. When Kyle speaks, his tone is calm, perfectly controlled. It's his Business Voice, blank save for the barest hint of anger. ]

This is Kyle Rayner of the Green Lantern Corps. I apologise for the inconvenience, but our clinic at EA-3B is currently undergoing repairs and won't be able to take more patients at this time. We'll be temporarily operating a backup at WA-1A. [ He attaches a map, showing where it is. ]

Any and all hands with medical experience or healing abilities are always welcome.

[ Another long pause. ]

And if someone could come collect Avatar Korra, that would be appreciated.

[ There is a brief pause, as though he's debating what more to say, before the audio clicks off. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Wryly, he wonders if it'll ever be simple.]

She didn't issue an official statement, but from what people've asked her, the zombies were definitely the first attack of that kind. I'm not sure about the satellite. If it's locally made it probably came from one of the other countries on this planet.

[Never. But they can't worry about that any more than they can worry about what might happen if they lose more people. All that's left to them are jokes.]

Convenient for our friend. Not so much for anyone else.

[Maybe they were both signs of a malicious power. The problem is, Tony doesn't know what he thinks of the Emperor yet. While he doesn't want anyone to get hurt, he's not sure where he wants to stand on the problems they are facing.]

She doesn't make many statements for someone who's supposed to be leading her people.

[He chuckles, more out of frustration than any kind of amusement. He's been here seven months and his hands are no less tied. It's just funny, after a while.]

She's made one to the network, that I can remember. Given the response I'm honestly not surprised she didn't try again. Royalty has their pride.

[That kind of chuckle he can relate to. It's a situation where sometimes things are not funny to the point where you have to laugh at the irony. But it's still frustrating not to be able to get anywhere.]

Well, I guess we can be a little sensitive.

[Secondhand embarrassment just because Tony likes to think he can work things out without conflicts. You know, unless it's a villain attacking him.]

But on the other hand, she did bring us here. It's easy to get frustrated when you feel cornered.

[That we gets a raised eyebrow but luckily Kyle's expression is amused enough not to show the flicker of irritation. He doesn't like people thinking they've above everybody else simply because of their birthright or their financial power. He constantly had an overpowering instinct to tear them down, cut them to size, because power corrupted. Always.]

[Most Green Lanterns were dead before that could take much effect. It's a dark thought, and he banishes it.]

And trapped. Yeah. We all had stuff we were doing back home.

[We is ingrained in him. Whether he agrees with other foreigners or the Emperor, they are together on this. In his mind, they are all a group and even if he didn't start one fight or disagreement, he can't write himself out of the fallout. And even when he doesn't think that, the we always seems to make its way back into his mindset. Like he should feel responsible.]

Royalty can be hard to talk to. I'm sure they're just trying to do what they can for Asti.

But they're not doing a great job either. [He's trying to be fair.]

[He shrugs, and offers a worn smile.]

Well, that's why we're here, isn't it? To help out where she can't?

[A beat.]

And to help each other out when she won't.

[The foreigners here might not be his Corps. But they're his people in a sense, and that means not leaving them behind if he can.]

Theoretically, yes. But I'm not sure everyone else knows that.

[He smiles a bit tiredly. Tony wants to help out where he can, but it can get frustrating when most people seem like they don't want to to work together. He does keep trying, though.]

So far it seems like there aren't many areas she will help in.

[Kyle's learnt the hard way. People here don't organise behind a single person - they accept collaboration and communication. It's harder, but if it's what keeps them together instead of fighting internally, he's willing to work at it.]

Maybe we should sneak someone into the palace and be her secretary, pencil in a few things for the schedule.

[People may not like to organize in Keeliai, but Tony is at least going to try. Maybe that's what they need. The extra encouragement to go beyond noncommittal communication. And maybe it won't work, but he doesn't like leaving that possibility unexplored.]

Have people ever been in the palace? Because that might not be a bad idea.

[He's joking on that part, but still.]

If we have to do this alone, then that's more reason for us to work together.

[He laughs.]

Maybe someone'll do it, who knows.

[A beat, and then he starts typing something in the same window.]

Yeah, it's just tough to get organised around here - we don't nearly have enough intel about what's going on. Here, I'll enclose all the stuff so far, most of it's magic, which is a pain in the ass to fight, if you ask me.

Maybe they will. If we ask nicely.

[He's going to try to make it work, anyway. He understands the reluctance people have to trust strangers, but at the same time he's hoping that they can be better than that. Trust each other.]

Magic. Why does it have to be magic?

[He smiles though. Hey, at least this is progress. They are officially a step above "no one tell anyone anything."]

Thanks. I appreciate that. I know it's hard, but it'll be worth it.

Because it's always magic.

[Said with fond exasperation, the tiredness bleeding through. He clicks send on the document.]

We really need to work on that. Magic gets old fast.

[He's got a slightly tired tone, but he doesn't hate it. It's just one of those things. As usual, they always seem to get the better of him.]

You seem to have a lot of experience with things like this. Magic your usual area?

[He's just skimming through the document as he talks.]

No - I just happened to have encountered a lot. Mystic beings, cosmic forces, angels, demons, things like that. I've picked up a bit from a colleague, and my powers are effective enough but you'd still be better off picking a magician to fight this stuff instead of me.

[Notice how he doesn't quite specify how much "a bit" is.]

Things like that. [Tony says that with a dry note in his voice. Not quite shock, but still with irony. Cosmic forces and demons aren't just "a bit" in his mind. Sure, they have them too, but he's more of a down-to-Earth hero.]

So this is a walk in the park for you. I'm kind of jealous, but I'm not sure if that's really a good thing.

[Scanning over the information at least gibes him some idea of what kind of person he's talking to. He's kind of out of his league when it comes to galactic forces, but he can at least handle energy.]

You do this often? This is good data.

[Things like that. Kyle's casual attitude towards it is comparable to something dangerous that doesn't always realise it's so, not until it's actually in the middle of the fight.]

It's a bit of a vacation, yeah. You're from Nita's universe right? My job's pretty similar to Nova's.

[He laughs.]

The paperwork? No, not really. I delegate it - but there's no one to delegate to...

Well that makes sense.

[Yup. He usually consults out when things get that far North and into the unknown. It explains why Kyle has such good bearings though.]

This must seem like kids' stuff to you. So if you're doing your own paperwork, who is it supposed to go to? Eventually, I mean. Are you hoping to see a friend here?

[Has he mentioned he loves that particular other universe? A lot of them are pretty cool. Avengers is a nice team name, too.]

[He'd still take their habit of Colour + Noun any day though.]

With all this memory crap going on with people who come and go, there should be at least some record - and if I vanish, at least everything I knew about the place won't be lost. Alternatively, the Emperor could drag my C.O. here and he could deal with the responsibility, but I'm not holding my breath for that one.

[Tony's a fan of that universe too. He's biased, of course, but his home world has always been pretty good to him. Good people and a good place to live. He's not that familiar with the other universes, though, so he can't make an honest comparison. But their superhero names are interesting, at least. Self-explanatory.]

Worried about what you're going to leave behind? Maybe you're right. It'd be a shame for all of that to just vanish.

[But you need someone to leave things behind for, so there's that.]

If the Emperor actually brought people we wanted here, I'd throw them a party. Too bad she doesn't seem to like groups of any sort.

[Carrying the legacy he has, he's concerned about what he leaves behind, for Sodam Yat. The kid's already surpassing him and Kyle's proud, but the truth is there's only one Torchbearer of the Corps and there'll never be another. He has to ensure what he builds lasts... and it'll only last another thousand years.]

[But he just grins, a little sheepish. He's just a dumb dork, right? What does he care about legacy.]

I'd be a little worried. We're... kind of the Nuke It option.

[It's always about legacy. The legacy they build, or the one someone else left them. Life is just one big legacy and they're lucky if they can manage to make that into something they can be a little bit proud of. Maybe for Kyle that's an easier feat, but it can't be easy. What he's leaving behind actually means a lot, even if he doesn't say as much.

It's the little things that count. That's the real source of a legacy. The decisions he makes every day.]

Okay, that's a good point. Assuming we weren't going down in fire and ice, though, they'd still deserve a party. Or maybe they'd deserve it even more.

[He pauses, murmuring something almost as an afterthought.]

Maybe we'll get lucky.

[Kyle's (literal) legacy is currently dying inside a sun. The future sucks in comic books.]

The thing we're up against prefers fire. On the first mainland, there was a mausoleum of its victims. I'd say we deserve a party for lasting this long.

[Right. Never allow your legacy involve the sun. Although Tony's is less dramatic, he's always put a lot of value on what will become on his legacy. So far, his luck with that has been... rough.]

Or at least a gold star? You're right. We do deserve a party for lasting this long. Maybe someone should do something about that too.

You volunteering?

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