14412/Fire from the Heavens: The Flame of Py'tar

Fire from the Heavens: The Flame of Py'tar
Date of Scene:	27 March 2023
Location:	Hall of Justice - New Troy
Synopsis:	The League and the allies meet to discuss the Flame of Py'tar and how they will proceed to deal with Despero once and for all. Plans are formulated, decisions made and pasteries consumed.
Cast of Characters:	Hal Jordan, Monet St. Croix, Shayera Thal, Kara Danvers, Audra Meridian, Divine, Zatanna Zatara, Meggan Puceanu, Clark Kent, Victor Von Doom

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Hal Jordan has posed:
The meeting room in the Hall of Justice is a little more lively then normal, that long table flanked by the chairs of the various members while on the wall portraits of each member hang interspersed amongst the chamber. But probably what is quickest to draw the eye is not a regular feature of the room. Instead it is a floating, transparent orb in which burns a bright flame.

The Flame of Py'tar. The mysterious Flame at the heart of all of this and the prize that Despero seeks.

Despero. The Third Eye. Despot of Kalanor and juggernaut who managed to stand up to everything that the Justice League and their allies could throw at him. A mind powerful enough to seemingly dominate the thoughts and hearts of his entire planet. To overwhelm the will of a Green Lantern and turn him into his servitor.

And he is still out there. It is only a matter of time before he returns. Before he does it is past time that they figure out just what threat the Flame of Py'tar represents. And how they are going to deal with their newest off-world enemy before he returns to try and claim its power once more.

Like the others, Hal Jordan has gathered in that conference hall, both hands planted on the table, leaning forward slightly as he studies that flickering flame that seemingly burns nothing at all, it's illumination casting a purplish glow over the entire room, sending shadows dancing wildly. A small frown marrs his features and he finally glances up. "Alright, I suppose we should begin."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
In the conference hall, possibly still recovering from the recent melee, Monet St. Croix is sitting back and watching. Her eyes questioning. Just how are they going to stop someone as seemingly powerful as Despero? What ar ethey going to do when, hands down, they have to get desperate?

As Hal goes to speak up, M's attention turns to him and she gives a nod. She goes to float a couple of inches up in the air to give herself a better view. And what does Despero want so desperately?

Shayera Thal has posed:
Shayera Thal sits on her chair and eyes the orb, the little pain in the ass that has brought fire and fury to Metropolis ever since they got it. "So I guess the question on my mind is, what is it and what should we do with the thing." She leans on the table and folds her hands together. "We can't just keep playing defense, we need to go on the offense. Else they will just keep coming back with more ships and causing more destruction."

Kara Danvers has posed:
Kara hovers off to the side, thin arms laid across her chest. Surrounded by some of the most powerful people in the world... if not the Galaxy. It's hard not to be both impressed by this collection of heroes and terrified of the threat that would bring so very many people of this elk together to face it. The threat this represents. The sheer gravitas of a force so unquestionably dangerous that it requires the FULL might of, not just the Justice League, but all of their Allies. Anyone with enough force and will and insight to come together and combat this... monster.

To put it in a shell. To package it and paint a vivid picture of exactly what something like that represents? Not just for them individually, but as a group. How dangerous THIS could be for EARTH. Kara swallows..blue eyes peering around at faces she knows and some that she does not.

At a face familiar to her as if it were her own face, at Monet, to whom she smiles. "They are too easily able to sway the minds of the people around us." Kara agrees with Shayera. "We have to pick the place of the fight.. we have to assure people are well out of the way.. and we have to be unified."

Audra Meridian has posed:
Ally by association.. wait, isn't that what an ally is already? Uh. Ally surrogate? Is that even a thing? Probably not. But it's a fair sumation of how Audra, aka Windrose, feels right now. She doesn't belong to any of these super teams gathering in the fabled Hall. She's here because she responded to the last two invasions, helped fend off the brainwashed horde non-lethally with her weather manipulation abilities, and dammit all Metropolis is her home! She doesn't want it wrecked, all her stuff is here! Well, on a farm on the outskirts of the city, but it's the same sentiment.

But with all that, her attention was mainly on the Flame. It wasn't a weather phenomenon, but it still teased her general scientific curiousities with it's unearthly glow and all the discord that's come to surround it being here. She steeples her gloved fingers together, resting her chin atop thoughtfully. "Does this thing even have any powers," she murmurs rhetorically, mostly because the trouble that was gone through to get it to Earth, and to protect it from being reclaimed, would be be silly for a mere religious symbol. "Why does he want it so goddamn badly...."

Divine has posed:
Divine is not a member of the Justice League. She's barely a member of the House of El, though recent events have started to rectify that. Why the hell is she here? Her sister brought her. Not a normal social event, it's true, but still probably valuable for the clone and, hell, she might even be able to help in the end.

Maybe.

She's a little outside the group, away from the table. She's not exactly clinging to or hovering near Kara, but she's close enough to keep eyes on her if she should need a reassuring look or something. She's leaning against a bare patch of wall, arms folded across her chest in a manner that is eerily similar to Kara, but, well. There are some differences.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
The Flame floats in the best protective wards Zatanna could craft. She had used every spell known to her after searching the extensive occult library housed in her mansion, inherited from a long line of homo magi.

Seated at the table; she watches the Flame, mouth flattened into a worried line. No magic is infallible, and the Flame has already cost lives. It risks costing more.

Shayera's words mirror her thoughts. What can they do with the great force housed in its protective shield?

For the Flame is the living and physical embodiment of a trans-dimensional conscious power. A god and more because it is the living essence of a planet. A power that, in the wrong hands, would allow whoever dominates it to rule a world and alter all reality.

Hal Jordan has posed:
That of all of them, Shayera would be the one to immediately suggest going on the offensive is hardly a surprise. It also, as it so happens, a very valuable concern. From the initial incursion of a handful of patrol ships, to a small fleet of battle cruisers, to finally Despero himself arriving to try and take back the flame, there has been a steady escalation in the threat -- not just to the League and their allies, but to the city of Metropolis, home of the Hall of Justice. And while they have managed to prevent any casualties thus far, if the stakes continue to rise it is only a matter of time before that streak of luck runs out.

Glancing up from his survey of the Flame once more, Hal lets his gaze circle around those gathered, nodding in brief and apparent agreement with Hawk Woman before he straightens. His attention flickers over towards Zatanna and Meggan for a moment as he takes a step back from the table, beginning to pace restlessly alongside its length. "It's a fair point Shayera. Thus far Zatanna has been able to keep the Flame secured behind magical wards, but our last run in with Despero was a close thing. More, the fact that he can seemingly dominate even the strongest minds makes it a constant danger that he will eventually seize someone with the power or knowledge to undo even our best defenses. And I think, thanks to Zatanna and Meggan's insights into the nature of the Flame itself, that is one thing that we absolutely cannot allow," the Green Lantern says slowly. "As powerful as Despero might be now... it pales in comparison to what he will achieve if he is able to claim the Flame for his own."

Meggan Puceanu has posed:
Fashionably late is Meggan, the bride of the blue-collar warlock and someone basically known to be categorically allergic to meetings, conferences, and anything that smacks of authority. Or groups. Or basically whatever sets off John. In truth, weariness being on the wrong side of the day commits Constantine off to bed and the blonde, bright-eyed goddess taking up his place. She at least has the decency to bring snacks, a box of pastries from a local place in Metropolis rather than Gotham. Gotham's are probably all bitter, no sweet.

She plops that box as her offering onto a table, and then eases her way in against the tide closer to wherever Zatanna chooses to stand. Her finger-wiggled greeting to Monet and Shayera offers a familiar word of thanks, and she almost tenderly extends the same brush of 'hello' to the Flame.

For anyone who has seen her as a white-haired marauder destroying alien spacecraft, it may be hard to credit the golden-haired epitome of an English rose with being able to inflict that damage. Only the general shape of her face is the same. "Oh, plenty," she adds to Audra after entering, nodding in the wind maiden's direction. "Heaps of power, probably could commit a few miracles, aye? But I wouldn't want to imply it /will/ or could, 'cos none of us have properly asked it."

She's in a bright mood, gently radiating a balm of ease and contentment like an incarnation of the dawn. "I'd be worried anyone without much kindness in their heart could offer some nasty suggestions to it, and it might not know any better."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would nod, "She's right." Agreeing with Shayera, "We can't pick and choose the battlefield here on Earth. He can strike at will with nearly unlimited forces and we must engage him no matter the circumstances. We cannot eternally surrender the initiative to our enemy. We will be overcome in the end by sheer attrition." The alien bird has the word.

She nods over at Kara's comments, her lips pursed. Irritation - she was one of the ones that was momentarily oerwhelmed after all by it. Her eyes narrowing over at the recollection before banishing it. She would not let it happen again.

Divine has posed:
The clone, for her part, just listens. Mind domination? She shudders, horrified. She has enough identity issues to deal with already. Having her mind taken over by something else? True, abject, and total horror.

"H-how," she says, speaking in a voice that is so close to Power Girl's but just different enough. A little lower, somehow a little more timid. "How can we stop it from taking over minds? Couldn't we...reach out to the X-Men? They have some of the most potent psychics around, they might be able to help?"

Shayera Thal has posed:
Shayera Thal is rather happy to see that for once people agree with her, still its not enough to hit them its hitting them hard enough that they don't get up again. "I for one think we should take the fight to them, they have kept invading us so we might as well hit them back." She look at each member at the table, she is without the hawk helmet right now so her green eyes are clearly on display. "Or at least try and hit something strategic so it delays them long enough that we come up with a plan." She does give Divine a look. "Well we can probably go to the X-men, they might be able to get information about the flame that we can't...

Audra Meridian has posed:
Audra Meridian nods a bit at Meggan's response. Some scientists would be distressed at something they did not directly comprehend being described in such mystical ways. She was not one of such, not after having had a few encounters with magic on both ends of the moral spectrum. She just accepted that some things science could not yet break down and explain... and that was all the more reason to pursue scientific knowledge and insight. Maybe one day...

At the end of her musing she sits up, sighs softly. "The winged lass has the right of it. We can't just wait for the despot to come to us with a bigger and more threatening force. Or turn our own against us... As the saying goes, sometimes the best defense is the offensive approach."

Kara Danvers has posed:
Divine's question is mirrored by Kara's own unspoken concern. Settling down beside her taller sister with her arms remained across her chest. She peers to those more versed in the particulars of this threat. "If this is a big enough threat for us, then it effects the entirety of Earth. Not going to the X-Men would be disregarding a major weapon in our arsenal." She peers over to Monet. Then back to the gathered. "Even if it's just for suggestions about how to combat telepathy?"

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
The flat frown transforms into a faint smile on seeing Meggan. Zatanna appreciates the sweet calm she emanates - all the sweetness of a bucolic dawn, complete with birds cheeping. Yet, she is well aware of the power for violent action cached behind the beautiful calm.

"Hal, I agree with Shayera and Audra. It is time for us to take the fight away from Earth. The potential for catastrophic damage is too high if we engage here."

Hal Jordan has posed:
It is a particularly large stumbling block to be sure, not knowing just who might be turned against you. And it is one that hits home just as strongly for Hal Jordan as any of the others. "It might be worth looking into," he agrees, pausing in his pacing long enough to lay his hands on the back of his own chair, turning to the rest of those in the room. "The League is fortunate enough to have a powerful telepath in it's own right to consult in the Martian Manhunter. Though the scope and reach of Despero's ability..." he begins, tailing off and giving his head a shake. "To dominate an entire planet. To overwhelmn the will of a Green Lantern -- one of our most powerful at that -- it is more than concerning. And of course I think our friend the Lamplighter here," he adds, gesturning towards Monet with just a hint of a smile before growing serious once more, "had her own unpleasant psychic exchange with him."

Glancing towards the group most strongly advocating taking the fight away from Metropolis and the planet itself, Hal nods once more. "That's a viable option. Maybe our best one," he agrees, glancing towards Meggan now. "There's reason to believe that the Flame has a... sentience behind it. A consciousness of a sort. It is likely that it is the embodiment of the planet of Kalanor itself. It's presence seems muted, perhaps because it's so far from home, but if we took it back, if we could find a way to communicate with it... well, who knows what might be possible."

"Though there would be a risk too, walking into the heart of Despero's stronghold. If we fail, we may have very well delivered unbelievable power into his hands," he notes seriously, that masked gaze once more sweeping the room.

Then he reaches for one of Meggan's pastries. Sue him. They look delicious and all the doom and gloom are really working up his appetite.

Meggan Puceanu has posed:
"We could ask it nicely. Rather surprising but often these things don't want to go 'round dominating minds or hurting someone. It may have to reach a... a consensus," Meggan sounds the right word out, since the vocabulary she has in her native languages sheds a very different cast on her intended meaning than a Latin-based English term. "If it's made up of lots of individual thoughts, could be it doesn't want to hurt anyone at all. Now suppose there's just one really OP presence, maybe Zee or John could have a proper chat to sort things out. Despero's got a real nasty ability that runs fairly counter to just about anything with a sense of self or free will, innit?" She threads the long hank of her flaxen hair through her fingers, neatly weaving pieces together into a herringbone plait. A few stray bluebells woven into the gilded weight peek through, and if any plant is in the vicinity, it's most definitely greening and perking up.

"As to fighting, are we certain there's no chance to convince him to just toodle off?" The wan crescent of her smile holds a hope that doesn't belong there. "I'm a great fan of not stripping the continent bare of soil and arable land, or turning whole countries into mind-slaves. Really, anything that avoids that is considerably a plus." Shayera's take on violence meets that peculiar take on diplomacy, and so it goes with a smooth, glittering strangeness. "I feel for it, being so far away from where it belongs. There's got to be a way to show we're friendly."

Yes, she's willing to befriend an artifact.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would glance over, as the subject of telepathy comes up. "Willpower. Focus. Making a ward in your consciousness. Strength and self assuredness. It requires focus, treating your mind as your castle, your haven. Best, however, to take out the one doing it before they can get as far." IT's difficult to keep a powerful telepath out.

As Hal speaks up M gives him an oh, oh so minimal glare that vanishes almost before it's seen by anyone that's not watching her closely. "But, we do have the ability to engage the enemy rapidly. We all know a number of.. Beings that can offer instantaneous teleportation across galactic distances. One of those can dispatch us to the exct battlefield we seek to engage in and give us control over the initial melee. If we can figure out where it is we need to be."

Shayera Thal has posed:
As much as Shayera would love to kick down the door of the strong hold and wack the guy until he can't form a complete sentence there is something to be said about caution. "Well maybe not the front door of the strong hold, as for Manhunter we haven't seen him around in awhile. But we might be able to get Professor x or Jean Grey." She knows enough about the X-Men to know those two are powerful telepaths.

Clark Kent has posed:
Floating slightly above the ground, Superman crosses his arms across his chest and looks out at all presetn with a nod and a frown.

Kara Danvers has posed:
"I would very much rather we didn't have to fight him at all." Kara agrees with Meggan, frowning even deeper as more suggestions are presented. It seems fairly well unlikely, however. "Maybe we can send a strike force up to it's ships? Force it to split his attention if it risks loosing it's fleet, while another force approaches hit's Stronghold?"

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Tasty pastries are just the antidote to the doom hanging over the room, Zatanna helps herself to one after Hal. At Meggan's suggestion, she loses any semblance of happiness anticipated at eating it and shoots her a glare that holds no rancor.

"I wouldn't do it alone. But," she holds up a finger to waylay any objection, "I'd do it with John and Monet. And if Monet could link more than two of us, perhaps Hal. Need I say it, John could start a war on his own. Hal and I might possess the diplomacy needed to treat with it."

Her eyes sweep the group. "We have assumed that it is in cahoots with Despero. Like Meggan suggests, asking might give us some answers that we haven't thought of. Toodling off would be nice. HOw I wish it would."

Audra Meridian has posed:
Audra wags a finger in Hal's direction. "Also a valid point. Going straight for the heart of the storm may be dropping more tools in his lap." Then leans over to grab a pastry before they're all snatched up. It's easier to think on a stomach that's had a snack. "I know this isn't a scientific problem per say, but looking at it with that sort of logic, we have two major points."

She pauses to bite into the pastry, and give a nod of gratitude in Meggan's direction while she chews. Politely swallows before continuing.

"One, the best option seems to be to draw him away from both Earth, and his own domain. In this case neutral ground may be better than trying to foot an advantage, especially when that advantage could be turned against us." A pause for another bite, chew, swallow. Continues, "Two, if there is some one or some way to counteract his mind control so he doesn't just turn us on each other, that would be an even bigger boon."

Divine has posed:
Divine goes quiet again. She tried! She doesn't know the Manhunter, but is fairly familiar with the X-Men and one psychic in particular. She thinks it was an okay suggestion, anyway, but she's kind of an arrogant cuss like that.

Either way, she resumes politely listening. Though, if it comes to it, she will absolutely volunteer for the strike force.

Upon Superman's arrival, she lifts a hand and gives her sort of cousin a polite little wave and smile. She idly wonders if he's going to be irritated that she's here only slightly invited.

Victor Von Doom has posed:
     There is a clanking of metal boots on the tiled floor to announce the presence of the Latverian monarch as he steps into the room, fashionably late. Today, instead of his usual green cloak, he has chosen to wear a white cloak over his silver armor. Today he does not represent Latveria. Today he represents the world, and the future. "Fighting him on Earth is worth the risk." the Doctor says, "It is our home turf, where we can prepare the most defenses and where we can secure the flame under metal and rock if need be, in addition to these..."

     Doom seems to struggle to find a non-condescending word for the protections of the flame hovering over the desk, his blue eyes narrowing on it before his echoing voice finally settles on "Acceptable... wards you have placed here. To defeat him is simple, how you wish to defeat him is the question. I can simply banish him to the negative zone, drag him to hell, or propel him to the end of time and the heat death of the universe. Nothing is beyond Doom. However... not all of you share Doom's ruthlessness. So I ask this of you all. Are you willing to kill him, confine him to maddening solitude for the rest of his existence, or will you foolishly try to capture him in some fashion. Perhaps the lanterns believe they have a box that can contain him?" Doom looks to Hal Jordan as he says this, glaring over at the emerald protector.

Clark Kent has posed:
Superman nods and winks at Divine in a warm hello. He is in no way irritated, and welcomes her presence.

"I leave it to everyone's decision as a collective to come to a solution, but I will always be a firm proponent of a diplomatic solution that doesn't require violence." A pause. "However, if it comes to using our strength, I will be at the forefront of the strike to defend what is right."

Superman looks at Hal. "I am here for you and the team Green Lantern. But you know that already."

Then came Doom. Superman's frown deepens.

Meggan Puceanu has posed:
Meggan briefly looks over at Superman, fascinated by whatever changes of mood exert themselves over his face. Emotions are a meal, cream to a cat. Then her gaze settles back upon Kara, and she breaks into a smile for the acknowledgment. "Thank you." Eyes crinkled at the corners lends a patina of gratitude, even as she sinks into a seated, floating position. "I beg your pardon if it's untoward. Wouldn't someone like you or Superman be enough to pull Despero and all his attention? If he knows about someone of your calibre, he'd be right to have a worry put into his mind."

Quite frankly, she's pleased about those who enjoy the pastries, and shall make a mental note to purchase more for next time. Everyone else musing in satisfaction, even a smidge, is the equivalent of a danish or a slice of mille-feuille. "Is his psionic juju enough to detect us? Like if he couldn't see us, is he going to focus it? I'm not so sure on these things, oi."

Then her glance goes sidelong to Doom and she opens her mouth, murmuring, "That's an idea." A wise idea? Probably not, but dealing with a faerie goddess, 'wise' is measured by a completely and utterly different yardstick altogether. "I'm not sure me taking the Flame to the outer core or the mantle? Bit of a long roundabout way but possible. Hell is possible to get out of, and he'd just come back with a couple of legions. Not practical or ideal. Shoving him to the point where all the atoms have all gone sounds great and all, but it's not. It looks like there's nothing there, no disrespect to you, but there's still stuff and you probably don't want him riding roughshod an' all with his mind-whammyin' out there with those entities at that point." She shakes her head. "It's not good an' it'll just be annoyin' to fix the next time 'round."

Hal Jordan has posed:
It can be a challenge, this sort of thing. So many strong personalities, so many differing views of the 'proper' way of doing things. But then that is one of the many problems that they face. There is no one clear path, no one obvious solution. For the moment, Hal Jordan falls silent and lets the others gathered -- no matter how unlikely their presence might be -- to present their arguments, to have their say. It might be one thing if he could definitively say just what the answer was, but in this, the stakes are very high and it is difficult not to see the validity in most of the arguments presented.

To say that the League has a... complex relationship with the monarch of LAtveria would be an understatement. But there is no doubt that his assistance against Despero -- and Felix Faust -- did play a part. "Banishment is an imprisonment of a kind and can be appropriate. Though to Hell does seem extreme. Still, sometimes there are few other choices. Though as Meggan points out, it seems just as perilous potentially," he muses thoughtfully. "Some sort of neutral site may be ideal. Not Earth, but not Kalanor either might put us on even footing. But I remain concerned about our ability to properly communicate with the Flame anywhere but from where it originates. Still, if Zatanna, or Meggan or anyone else can find a way that might be the safest course," he agrees.

"As for the X-Men, it would not hurt to make inquiries with them to be sure. Finding a way to combat his mental domination would make us all feel safer, I think," he admits. "And Supergirl raises an interesting point. If we do confront him, distracting him, cutting him off from any of his other allies, his armies, might go a long way to helping our cause."

Much to consider. Now if they can find away to bridge their conflicting viewpoints.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would shrug, "There is no reason either that we cannot simply teleport him over to a separate location where we have control of the battlefield. One group engages his forces to slow down their response, anotehr team with a teleporter takes him somewhere he can be isolated and engaged without worry for collateral damage. There he can be neutralized with sufficient overapplication of force." Yes, she purposefully inclues 'overapplication'.

"And I fail to see why we should give him any sort of mercy. He has made others suffer extremely and brings agony and enslavement." She's all in favor of Meggan's 'send him to hell' proposal. But that's a discussion for anotehr time.

"But, Supergirl is correct. We do not want him being able to overwhelm us with sheer numbers." She would nod over at Kara and then over at Kara's.. Sister?

Audra Meridian has posed:
"You and me both," Audra agrees with the Man of Steel. "But sometimes isn't the hardest part of diplomacy realizing when diplomacy isn't going to work?" She rests her chin on an upturned hand now that it's free of pastry. "How do you negotiation with someone that can make you think and say whatever he wants? That's way out of my field of expertize."

She chuffs a sigh that briefly flutters the few bangs that dangle out between her goggles and head covering. One little tech augmented meteorologist surrounded by all these big names and big hitters. "But what do I know, I just throw lightning and blow people off icy surfaces."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Zatanna nods to Clark then sneaks a quick bite of pastry. Oh, will Meggan and Monet know just how much Doom can rankle her? Adequate wards! The dark-haired sorceress looks at Doom from under her fine eyebrows and smiles without humor at him. Even his pretty white armor irks her. She much prefers her French designer's creations.

Clearing her throat and raising her chin, she dismisses her pique and attends to Hal and the others. "Separating him from his allies who are likely fighting because he controls them, is an -excellent- idea. I whole heartedly agree with finding neutral territory. To that end, I like Monet's suggestions very much. As I trust her ability to shield us against his psychic powers."

She takes a long breath and shifts her gaze to Doom, a small smile edging her lips. "Hell, does seem to be a bit much. We can surely find a safe place to imprison him and keep him there forever."

Clark Kent has posed:
Somehow Superman's cape billows slightly as he hovers two feet above the ground. His eyes scan each present, staying several seconds on Doom, and then back to Hal. At this moment, his support of the Green Lantern was obvious.

"I suggest the X-Men be considered as backup. As I do the Avengers, and the other super teams on Earth. I think we can handle this however. As for a neutral 3rd site, I am all for that. Less collateral damage to the people and places we love."

Nodding at Audra and then at Zee, lastly at Shayera, Superman smiles. "Agreed. I have had to resort to something other than diplomacy once or twice. With you at our side, however, I think we are more likely to succeed."

"Monet has a good idea. Teleportation is an option. Zatanna and Meggan is right." A pause. "As do Kara and Divine, have good ideas. All are good options and reasoning."

Victor Von Doom has posed:
     The grim visage of Doom turns to Meggan, his intense gaze staring at her and saying with his booming, echoing voice, "Do not deign to lecture me on what it takes to escape hell. I know from experience. It is merely an option presented, and as you have correctly identified, a wrong answer. That was a test to see if anyone would choose that option." He seems to say this sincerely, but Doom is literally impossible to read behind that condescending tone and metal mask, so there's ample opportunity to assume he was lying about it being a test.

     He then turns to Audra, slamming his metal fist on the table and saying "YES! This is exactly it. This is not a foe to engage diplomatic relations with, this is a foe to be defeated. A foe that can enslave the entire population of the world..." He thinks for a moment, then shakes his head, saying "No. It is an affront. This foe is dangerous."

     As people seem to agree on a third site, the latverian monarch shakes his head again, saying "I will insist we use portal transportation so that he does not have a way of intercepting the flame en route to its destination. A space ship is far easier to destroy than this hall, an underground vault, or even whatever base we set up on this third destination. I still have yet to hear what our consensus is on what to do with him, however. Hell is out of the question. But what remains? The negative zone? You must make up your minds on your goal first, and then we can plan on how to accomplish this goal."

Shayera Thal has posed:
Diplomacy is not Shayera's strong point, but she also knows that Superman has to be pretty damn fed up with people using Metropolis as a god damn stomping ground. She feel the same thing too if it was her home world. "These people have bene less than diplomatic with us." She then glances at Doom again"So do you got a place we can throw down? I still think hitting them at their home planet is what we should do but a place prepared ahead of time is far better than just kicking down the door and clubbing them.

Audra Meridian has posed:
Audra Meridian jumps briefly when Doom slams a gauntlet fist on the table near her, but it jerks her out of that brief self-doubting moment as well. "You know," she jabs a thumb towards the masked monarch. "I think Doom has an actual point." Wow, did she actually say that? Feels a little weird. "We need to decide on the outcome we want before we work out the course of action to get there... And as amusing as sending him to Hell is, I wouldn't want him like taking control of demons. A better imprisonment would be isolation. No one for him to manipulate."

Meggan Puceanu has posed:
Those laughing green eyes meet the man in the mask, and Meggan offers that vibrant smile, a quick turn of the lips. Whatever is the point arguing with the master of Latveria? But she isn't overly bothered, and that itself really ought to be alarming for how empty her skull is. On the other hand... she's married to the Hellblazer, and magic sealed by the Vishanti literally wraps around her left forearm where he and Zatanna can probably sense without much effort.

She retreats back into silence for the most part, having said more than enough of her piece to start feeling awkward about opening her mouth. Maybe one of those sacrificial pastries offered up for her fellow Leaguers and Despero opponents might be on the docket, except she refrains from taking one of them immediately.

Rather, she laces her fingers together and props up her elbows upon her knees. The delicate posture she assumes requires no table or chair, though they can easily enough be imagined. Her gaze turns unfocused in a lilting way, tracing the hidden contours of an invisible symphony. Eyebrows arch a fraction, and after no apparent connection to the conversation, her lips trace a frown. Audra almost knocks her out of her stupor, a belated look of alarm flashing to the side, then back to nothingness when it's clear no one is in immediate peril. The expression settles back into contemplative, marred by a slight intensifying of the smile apropos of nothing.

Hal Jordan has posed:
Increasingly it appears that they are nearing a consensus. It might not be entirely unanimous or without dissent quite yet, but progress has clearly been made. Even Doom seems to be more or less onside, shocking as that might be. It probably helps having Superman there as a voice of reason of course. It is intrinsictly difficult not to stop and listen when the Man of Steel offers his two cents of course -- something more than a little important at a time like this when the foe theyy face is so very overwhelming.

"It sounds like we have the beginnings of a workable strategy. I think we are mostly agreed that a neutral site is our best option. And containing Despero when this is all over would seem to be our ultimate desire. That might prove... difficult given the powers that he has demonstrated thus far," Hal points out thoughtfully, once more resuming his pacing alongside the long meeting table of the Justice League. "Perhaps the answer is to be found in the idea of dividing and conquering," he adds, glancing over towards Meggan and Zatanna once more. "But perhaps what we need to divide Despero from is the Flame itself. He seems to be able to sense it. He seems to have a connection to it already, which perhaps stands to reason since it is the embodiment of his homeworld. So, if some of us can take a false Flame to a neutral site to lure Despero in, a second team can perhaps return the true Flame to Kalanor and awaken it and find a way to sever Despero's connection to it. For good. Cut him off and perhaps then he will be easier to lock away where he can do no more damage?"

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would shrug, "Containing him can be simple. THrow him into a quantum singularity and let gravity do the trick." She would float a couple inches higher to make her point clearer. Why did everyone in this room have to be just as tall as she was? It made her getting her point in all the more difficult.

"And we also shouldn't overcomplicate our engagement. The more moving parts required for it, the lower probability there is of all things going as intended, and the less room there is for tactical flexibility."

By which she put in far too many words for 'Keep it Simple, St*p*d'.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Zatanna is supremely unimpressed by Doom smashing his fist on the table. A single eyebrow rises and she rakes him with a cold regard then shares a self-depreciating smile with Meggan, knowing that Meggan will understand. She knows better than to let Doom bother her. Doom is simply being Doom.

Her mouth opens at Hal's idea of creating a false Flame, and she shakes her head minutely without saying a word. "If his connection is strong, he will know that it is not the real Flame. We need to speak to the Flame before we return it to its homeworld. If I am right, Despero will know it is on his planet and I fear the connection between planet, Despero and the Flame might overwhelm us."

Thowing Monet a look, "It's axiomatic. We can count on any plans we make going sideways once we engage. Of course, we will portal, Doom."

Shayera Thal has posed:
Shayera Thal agrees with the keep it simple. She is not one for complicated plans other then, hit it hard enough to knock it block off. She is real good at that type of plan.

Audra Meridian has posed:
"Fair point," Audra chimes in again. "If he can sense it that strongly, fake bait isn't going to work. We'd need the real thing and a way to still keep it from him, or something else he'd want badly enough to go after."

Victor Von Doom has posed:
     Doom nods to Monet and then Audra, saying "Plenty of redundancies and failsafes on a simple plan. A single use teleporter pad to teleport the flame back to a vault here under the Hall of Justice should Despero get too close, set to self destruct afterwards to remove any chance of being used twice. I can have one created and ready within the day. On banishing him to the negative zone, I believe we have enough of us here capable of banishing him to that dimension that we should have no trouble getting him there, we will just need the appropriate persons to restrain or otherwise manuever him into position, or trick him into position. The team assembled here should be able to accomplish this as well. I would be quite disappointed if this team cannot."

     Doom crosses his arms, saying "One resource that comes to mind that I am surprised none of you have thought of yet is that of the X-Men's foes. A point was raised earlier that the X-Men contain many of our most powerful psychics... but then, if we are facing a psychic opponent, then we should look to the tactics the opponents of the X-Men have developed to shield themselves from psychic attacks. Both Magneto and The Juggernaut have special helmets that protect them from the likes of Xavier and Jean Grey, with some study I am certain that these helmets can be replicated to the team for this mission."

Hal Jordan has posed:
It is a fair point and a fair concern. Certainly it is a risk. And while Hal cannot quite escape the feeling that in the long run the Flame must be returned to Kalanor, there is no denying that the risk is considerable. "You may be right," the Green Lantern, nods in concession to the others. "It might not be possible to deceive him in that way. So, if we are to make a stand somewhere, does anyone have any suggestions on where that should be? Or should I pick out a suitably desolate moon or planetoid where no harm is likely to result from luring Despero there?" he asks quietly.

Doom does raise an interesting point to be sure. That might be a viable defense against Despero's powers and while they cannot make billions of dampening devices for every being, perhaps they can at least insure that those facing him on the field of battle will only have to deal with his overwhelmning strength, energy blasts and boundless rage.

Much better really.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would shrug, "Somewhere with atmosphere and gravity near Earth's own. Many of you have experience fighting off planet regularly, but many of us do not. We want something close to Earth's atmospheric and gravitic norms so that we are not slowed extensively by having to adapt, particularly for regions we have not trained for. So some sort of biome that's along those lines should be sufficient."

Meggan Puceanu has posed:
Point of her chin still atop her knuckles, Meggan keeps staring at the space where the Flame occupies a point of prominence. A little shake of her head knocks her unwound braid askew, the herringbone pattern pulled apart by motion and weight, a few pieces remaining interconnected. "They're too close to act against one another? Huh."

Her fingertips tap lightly against her knee and she settles into a deeper point of reflection, driven on further as a faint line imprints itself as ephemeral hints of age on a brow that never will. Not for long, anyway. "Mm. It misses home. I'm none too certain it will go with a ploy, honestly."

Audra Meridian has posed:
Audra Meridian holds up her hand after Monet's comment. "Doesn't need to be identical, but something similar would be useful. On the upside, similar atmospheric conditions means I can help keep a certain amount of area compatibale for us to operate in. At least temperature and pressure wise, as my hardware operates with those parameters for manipulation as it is."

She pauses when Meggan mentions the Flame 'misses home'. Tilts her head. "... Does it understand that it is dangerous to 'go home' with Desparo in control and willing to misuse whatever power he can garner from it?"

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"Monet makes a good point. Fighting on difficult terrain will be...well, difficult. And we don't need complications. I like your idea of taking the fight to a moon, Hal. Perhaps one large enough to have gravity."

Does Zatanna show her reluctance to agree with Doom, she hopes not. She may dislike him but she is not petty enough to scoff at a good idea, no matter their author. She gives him a gracious nod. "As does Doom and his helmets."

She rivets her eyes on Gaia's daughter at her soft words. "Does it indeed? But too close, Meggan dear? Doesn't the Flame know the damage Despero is doing?"

Shayera Thal has posed:
Shayera Thal does have a little benefit from her training. "I could give you guys a crash course on thanagarian agent training. Namely how to protect your mind from telepaths and intrusion. I had to go through that class and learned ho to form some walks and blocks. Its not perfect but it kept Man Hunter from coming into my mind.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
There's a sigh over from Monet and then she goes to close her eyes and moves to try and 'sense' over at the flame. Since she apparently has to be bothered over in to it. <<Very well, can you say a litlte more directly what we can do to aid you and what your adversary pursues?>>

Hal Jordan has posed:
"That I can arrange," Hal agrees. Well, less Hal himself specifically and more the amazingly thorough star charts that his ring has access to. They found a moon to maroon Faust on, finding a suitable battlefield in a galaxy full of them should not prove that hard in the grand scheme of things. "So, it is settled then. Our technical specialists can work up the anti-telepathy devices. Shayera and Monet can assist with trying to strengthen mental defenses in the meantime. We can put suitable portal and teleportation safeguards in place. And we should probably be prepared to throw all our carefully laid plans out the window as soon as this all starts and improvise, because that's usually how things go," he says drily. He does glance Meggan and Monet's way to see if they have anything more to add about the Flame's state of mind. Or lack there of.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would furrow her brows over, "It wishes to restore Kalanor and it gave Despero a great, great amount of power and he has not used it as it was expected." How does one give a semi-sentient anthropomorphization of energy a glare?

M managed it!

Audra Meridian has posed:
"... Somehow I find that even the ancient artifact sentience got gooned by this guy the least surprising thing about all this." Audra pushes her seat back from the table so she can stand up. "Well, I don't know enough about telepaths or teleporting to design anything, but I can offer my technical skills to at least help build whatever we come up with." Pause. "Might need a lot of tinfoil." There. Even a half-assed cliche joke felt a little better than nothing at all in all the seriousness.

Meggan Puceanu has posed:
"I think it made friends with him hoping that he's the key to restoring it back to a happy place. Strength and determination could turn things for Kalanor's favour, but I get the impression that decision might not have been made from an especially good place." No offense to the Flame, Meggan doesn't seem to imply *it* had anything to do with the issue. "More a matter of necessity. Who was the best candidate at the time? And before you say you are," she doesn't look over at Doom, "it's starting to realize the considerations it made earlier were not in its best interests. The Flame is not hostile to us or to Despero unless Ms. Monet can explain why. I'd just upset it by projecting my own sadness and anger, and it simply wouldn't understand the source. Bit rough on the poor dear. It's gone through quite a bit." She tucks her hands under her chin again and strikes a moue at it.

"You *know* he's gone and wasted all those gifts you gave him, and none of it for you. See, this woman," she points at Audra, "and that man," Superman, "are much more sensible and likely to help without stealing all your power. You've been tricked by a very rotten man indeed."

Victor Von Doom has posed:
     Doom simply crosses his arms as he watches Monet commune with the flame, silently judging her with his steely gaze. He has said all he needs to say, and proposed what he has deemed an ideal plan. It is up to them to decide what they will do.

Hal Jordan has posed:
The decision has been made. At least for now. How it will all turn out remains to be determined. "While we make the rest of the preparations maybe you can continue to see if you can get any other impressions from the Flame. Perhaps find a way to fully communicate with it and see if you can get it to help us somehow," Hal suggests quietly. "Otherwise, I think we all know what we need to do," he adds, letting out a long, slow sigh. Circling the table he pauses long enough to retrieve a pair of communication devices from the end of it, walking over to Audra and Monet and offering one to each of them. "You've both provided invaluable aid during all of this and proven your worth many times over. So we can better keep in contact leading up to and during our next meeting with Despero," he says before smiling briefly. "Perhaps when this is all over you'll consider joining us in some capacity," he adds before glancing Meggan's way as well. "And I know you're rather busy, but you've been so critical in our fights against Faust and Despero. It would be nice to see you join us on a more full time basis. Though I'm sure John will have plenty of advice on that front," he notes drily.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would shrug, "Very well, if the offer is to be formally done, I will accept it." Taking what Hal's saying at face value. "Our enemy will be neutralized and his threat terminated." That's the way it's going to go to her stubborn mind as far as she's concerned.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Zatanna muses aloud. "No one should have that power in their hands. Even those with the best intentions." She gazes intently at Meggan, "Who knows, maybe Despero meant well at one time? Who could be trusted with the power to change a planet? It...I have an idea but will talk to you and John about it."

Audra Meridian has posed:
Audra Meridian takes the communicator in one hand, smiling and nodding to Hal. "I'm glad to be of assistance in any way possible."