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Going Native: Desire for a Future (ch. 69)
🕑 Added 2021-02-08 15:57:42 +0000 UTCTears welled in my eyes… the first tears since… since I first used the Wrath State. When every emotion I could feel hit me hard -- heightened and unrestrained. Rage and sorrow in equal measures. I closed my eyes for a moment, letting Indigo remove the staff from my chest.
“Let yourself feel it, Prince Tarble. Weep for what you have done… then strive to make up for it. As all of us have,” Indigo sounded like she meant the words. I couldn’t imagine she had forgiven me for the deaths in her tribe. If someone had killed Elery or Mom or Vegeta… or my team… I could never find it in my heart to forgive them.
“I’m not weeping for what I have done,” I said, opening my eyes to see a look of confusion pass over Indigo’s face. “But for what I will do.”
Ki flowed to my hands, colored a dark purple, before it slammed into her. I probably shouldn’t have said that, because she managed to throw up a hasty shield that allowed her to avoid a point-blank fatal attack. Though, at the cost of half of her hip and the entirety of her right leg. Her staff kept her afloat and I cursed myself as I ignored a shout from Mohawk. That had been a mistake.
I could feel it. Compassion. I could feel it digging into my mind, tainting every thought -- or, it tried to. The etching on my soul prevented the hooks from digging deep. Still, I could feel what Sinestro felt. What made him what he was now -- a new man that wished for nothing more than to atone for what he had done.
“How?” Indigo shouted, purple energy flowing over her injuries. I had let the feeling that attempted to dominate my mind sway my aim. I could have gone for the fatal shot. I just didn’t. A foolish mistake that I wouldn’t make again.
“Practice,” I was compelled to answer before I dove in, my eyes narrowed into slits. In the edge of my vision, I could see the glowing light from the symbol on my chest. Indigo’s eyes narrowed while the others responded, flying upward. I darted forward, moving in a blur, only to race right by Indigo. She attempted to stop me, but failed to do so. Mohawk and Sinestro guessed my intentions… to a degree.
Mohawk threw himself at me, sending a turbulent wave of purple energy at me. Instead of dodging, I reached out with a hand and gripped the wave of compassionate energy. It stirred something within me. Something that I long since thought dead and buried. I ignored it. Clenching my hand down, the wave of energy fractured, cracking like glass, before it shattered as I raced through it. Mohawk's eyes widened, though he still lashed out with his staff.
His arm came off, a blade of ki coating my hand. As the offending arm began to drop, I lashed out, catching him by the throat as I turned to look at Indigo. "Release Sinestro and me from what you've done, or he dies," I warned, my voice cold. The tone I spoke with so easily before came as a struggle. It felt like I was faking it, in a way. Like it wasn't real. Like the threat was an empty one.
I squeezed down, making Mohawk cry out in pain to prove to her and myself that it wasn't an idle threat. Indigo shook her head, not in denial of the request, but simple denial of the situation. It was easy enough to guess why.
"Compassion isn't a reason to stop," I told her. "Out there, trillions are fighting. Millions are dying. I am their leader. Their lives are in my hands… and those who die, their blood is on my hands too," I stressed, glaring up at her. "How fucking dare you try to spit on that. You try to brainwash me and think that I would just end the war? As if I have that kind of power?"
Indigo stared at me, more confused than fearful. "This was to open your eyes, Tarble. So you would understand what you have done. So you may find redemption as all others have here."
"There is no atonement. There is no redemption. Not for the things I've done. Not for the things I will do," I spoke honestly and flatly. "Nor do I have any interest in it either. I am the Supreme Commander of the Trade Organization Military Forces. I have a responsibility to those under me to make sure that they live through this war." My grip tightened on Mohawk's neck reflexively, making him squirm in my grip.
"I will be whatever I have to be to end this war. If that makes me evil? Then that's what I'll be." The words that I had told myself for so many years had finally left my lips. The words that had defined me as I rose through the ranks of the Trade Organization. That drove me to become what I am… because anything less… anything less would dishonor everything that was sacrificed until this point.
I wasn't prepared for the soft look Indigo sent me. The one of immense pity. "You are evil… yet we have misjudged you, Prince Tarble. You understand the suffering you have brought upon others… and yet you choose to do so anyway. Never before have I seen someone such as you. A monster that understands compassion and empathy."
"Name-calling, are we?" I scoffed, "Say what you will. It matters little. What remains unchanged is that I will kill your ally if you do not undo what you have done to us." I reminded, looking up at the sounded leader of the Indigo Tribe.
"Prince Tarble…" Sinestro started, floating nearby, looking at me with an expression of utmost regret. It was annoying. I didn't know Sinestro had a facial expression range beyond snide contempt and smug arrogance.
"You are a fool, Tarble. Victory can not vindicate so much blood spilled," Indigo stared down at me, standing tall despite the injuries that she suffered.
I knew that. "Nothing can, but it's all I can give," I could admit that much. The soldiers… most of them were slaves. The official title was conscript, but the truth was obvious. The armies I led were filled with people that had everything taken from them -- their homes, their families, their rights… and a gun was placed in their hands, and they were told to die for the one that had taken it all from them. And for over a decade, trillions of them did. And precious few did it out of a newfound sense of patriotism.
"And that," Indigo started, "Is why you are a fool." My eyes narrowed at the insult. The pettiness of it catching me off guard, though it was hardly as if my feelings were hurt by it. However, Indigo was not in the mood for explanations. And my patience had worn thin.
"Last chance," I warned, squeezing down on Mohawk. He tried to keep down a pathetic whimper of pain, but failed to. Lukewarm blood dripped over my fingers, conjoining into a small river that dripped down my wrist. Indigo looked pained, her own grip tightening on her staff. Her gaze bore a hole into mine -- the idea that I could still commit cold-blooded murder despite feeling compassion seemed to be a tough pill for her to swallow.
Though, swallow it she did. Indigo offered a shallow nod as she slowly began to drift down. "I suppose it matters little in the end. But, I shall ask… what are your intentions to this place and my people now?"
She wanted to know what would become of this planet after her failed attempt to brainwash me? "Your tribe. How many of you are there?" I asked, still holding Mohawk, ready to rip his spine out with a flick of my wrist.
"Hundreds," Indigo answered. "There was once a native population here… and few remain, but most of those that live on Nok are former criminals. We have been branded with the light of compassion so we can understand the evil that we have done," she added lightly, her tone sharp. Still, that was worth knowing. Hundreds of them? "Do you intend to slaughter us all, as you have done to so many?"
What was left of my conscious recoiled at the idea… but I ignored it with some difficulty, "A possibility," I told her. Power rings, or staffs, aren't something I was so eager to pass up. The emotional spectrum was a useful tool… however, so far the emotions I had encountered were all useful for the war. Rage, fear, and Will? There was plenty of that to go around.
Compassion, on the other hand? Not so much. It wasn't something that could be used as a weapon. If there was an enemy that I hit with the light of compassion, then he would still likely fight me on the account that I'm invading their worlds. Likewise, using it domestically ran the risk of a Sinestro situation where they defected because of the horrors of war. Which would be a real problem because most people couldn't handle a Lantern like I could. I'd essentially be creating enemies for myself within my empire.
In short? Wiping them out and leaving the Compassionate light here to be forgotten might be the best move I could make. Though… that did depend on one question that I had. I glanced at Sinestro, choosing to give Indigo an opening to attack to see if she would, "How did you find this place?"
"With Atrocitus joining our ranks, it seemed prudent to track down the other types of power rings. This world… before I became a Yellow Lantern, Abin Sur had spoken of this place to me. Never in detail, but… after the death of his daughter, I knew he had tracked down her killer. And I knew it was here… I always assumed he had simply murdered her because he never spoke of it again. I never would have thought about it again if I hadn't used my status as an Honor Guard to check in on him, only to find all data of the excursion erased." Sinestro offered a small shrug, "It seemed like a good place to start when combined with other circumstantial evidence."
Indigo made a pained face. "I find it difficult to believe that you and Abin Sur would ever speak. You were once a tyrant, Sinestro. Abin Sur was a man that was willing to give the murderer of his beloved daughter a chance of redemption." The words might have sounded like an insult, but she didn't seem to mean them as one.
Sinestro nodded, "I was, but Abin Sur was a friend. One of the few men I have ever respected in my life. Which is why it does not surprise me that he was willing to forgive you should you have earned it."
I had absolutely no clue who they were speaking about, but I caught the gist of it. If Sinestro knew him from his time as a Green Lantern, then he was likely one as well. And if Sinestro had managed to find this place, then it stood to reason that the Guardians could as well.
That little voice that had been worn down to nothing over a decade of hellish warfare found its voice once again and it screamed at me. But, with so many years of practice, I crushed the voice into nothing. No matter how I looked at it… I had to do it.
Leaving them here would be a mistake. The Guardians could find them, and I'd be dealing with another enemy Lantern Corp. One with the capacity to turn my allies into enemies.
"Undo the brainwashing effect. Now," I ordered, my tone harsh. Indigo looked at me and I could see that she knew what would happen next. Like an animal that sensed a natural disaster coming.
Slowly, she drifted towards me, her staff held out, an ominous indigo glow coming from the head of the staff. She placed it against my chest, over my heart, and I let her. A test to see what she would do. There was a flash of purple light, but I felt the oppressive feeling that tried to dominate my mind vanish. Her eyes flashed with purple before she withdrew the staff from my chest, the symbol now gone.
Then she did the same for Sinestro. However, unlike me, he began to drop the moment that his connection was severed from the Indigo light. I tossed out a disk underneath him to stand on, which he landed heavily upon, one hand going to his stump of an arm. “My thanks, Supreme Commander… and my deepest apologies. I was not myself,” he offered, earning a look from me.
An apology? Honestly, I wasn’t sure if she really had undone the brainwashing.
“You are not the cold-blooded monster that you were portrayed to us as, Tarble,” Indigo spoke up, turning to look at me, effectively ignoring Sinestro. “But now… now you must choose what kind of monster you wish to be.” It was easy enough to guess what she meant.
“It’s hardly the first time I’ve done something like this. All things considered, wiping you all out now wouldn’t even approach the worst things I’ve done,” I told her flatly, wondering where she was going with this. If she was trying to lecture me, she should have done so before she undid the brainwashing. That had been the only leverage that she had.
"I am aware," Indigo responded lightly. "Yet, I ask for mercy for my people." She said in a tone that made the words sound like she was demanding a surrender from me. "We overestimated ourselves and we underestimated you. Much less a being such as Frieza. If I must pay for this mistake with my life, then so be it. I ask that you spare my tribe. That is all."
That wasn't all. She had to understand what she was asking.
But…
A sigh escaped me as I casually threw Mohawk at her. She caught the alien in her arm, an expression of relief passing over her face. "Don't look relieved," I half snapped at her. "This compassionate light -- can it be utilized without giving someone power?" I questioned, crossing my arms over my chest, feeling… annoyed for a lack of a better word. And suspicious.
I should just kill them all. I knew that. I knew that all the way down to the fiber of my being. That voice that I had spent so long crushing into nothing, wearing it down until it no longer bothered me… it had to be a side effect of getting hit with a powerful dose of compassion. It was unfortunate, but maybe there was a use for them.
Indigo offered a nod as a response but said nothing.
"In exchange for your lives, you will willingly give up your Lantern capabilities and the central power battery," I decided, thinking that it would be a nice middle ground. They would be powerless, so not a threat, and even if they did become one, then with the central power battery in my hands the threat would be neutered. Indigo gave no reaction to that.
"What do you intend to do with it?" She questioned, her tone not giving anything away.
"That is not your concern," I refused to answer. The idea to use it on prisoners had appeal. The ones we were taking were being treated well… branding them with a dose of compassion would be more productive than letting them stew in their resentment. It would free up some resources, at least. Could also find a use for it in interrogations. "Do you agree to these terms?"
Indigo looked down for a moment, her expression guarded. It was easy enough to see that she didn't like them, but she didn't have much of a choice in the matter. This was the extent of my ability to offer mercy. I wouldn't tolerate a threat like another Lantern Corp if I could help it. "The future," Indigo suddenly spoke up, making no sense at all. "You said that all you can do is offer those under you victory. This is untrue. You can offer them a future."
I opened my mouth to respond, only to cut myself off when I felt a familiar presence appear from thin air. My eyes snapped to the source and there I saw a familiar face.
Hal Jordan floated through a swirling pool of red, dressed in familiar colors. The hand that I had cut off… it was replaced by a green construct, except it went far beyond the point that I had severed. The entirety of the arm was a somewhat translucent green, while circuitry like lines of it spread across his shoulder and chest. They pulsed in a steady rhythm, standing out against the blood-red and black of his suit. I was so distracted by his presence that I nearly missed the Green Lantern and Blue Lantern behind him.
His eyes fell on me. His mask was gone. His hair was unkempt and he had grown in a beard, but what I noticed were his eyes -- both of them seemed to glow, one was a Willful Green and the other was a Rage Red.
"Well, looks like we got here just in time," Hal Jordan remarked, his voice confident, yet tired. "Sinestro. Looks like you're trying to rock my look. I wouldn't bother. Can't pull it off like I can," Hal added, offering a too sharp smirk as he floated down. His demeanor was different than the last time we had met. Though, that could be because I had been in the middle of killing a lot of his friends.
I turned to look up at them, a hand drifting up to the yellow ring at my neck. Pinching it, I felt a jolt run through me as I gave it a silent command. As I withdrew my hand, a second yellow ring formed from the first. I tossed it to Sinestro, who slid it on. All the while, Hal Jordan's gaze bore a hole in mine.
"Prince Tarble," The Blue Lantern greeted, either not noticing or uncaring of the growing tension. "I am Bro'dee, but most have taken to calling me, Saint Walker." Saint Walker introduced himself, floating just behind Hal.
I didn't like this timing. Too convenient. I said nothing to Saint Walker in favor of sparing a look at Indigo, who drifted away with Mohawk in her arms. Had this been the plan from the start, I wonder? Sinestro luring me here, then once I was also brainwashed, the Guardians took control of the Warworld and my military might?
"I wouldn't," I told her, a warning to not be tempted by the false salvation that had appeared before her eyes.
"Rude," Hal remarked, "Not even a hello?"
I ignored him to stare down Indigo, telling her with my eyes that she would not like the result of betrayal after I went against my better judgment to choose mercy. Hal took exception to that, it seemed, because he raised his red ring and fired a shot at me. The red ray raced towards my head until I slapped it away with a wave of my hand, sending it veering off course. Indigo looked disheartened, but she didn't offer a response.
Given the circumstances, that was likely the most I could expect. After the death of so many of her kind, I'm guessing she was hesitant to declare for one side or the other. Meaning that if she saw a chance, she'd declare for Hal's side. Irritating. Incredibly so. I guess this is what I get for considering mercy. A mistake I resolved to not make again.
"Considering how our last fight ended," I started, turning to Hal at last. "I would think you would have learned the price for arrogance," I remarked lightly, and I saw anger burning in his eyes at that. The dark-skinned Green Lantern shifted, as did Saint Walker, both of them realizing that this would end in a fight.
Hal's hands curled into fists as he glared, "I'm a lot stronger than the last time we fought, Tarble." He warned, light glowing from his two rings.
To that, I smirked, "As am I." With that serving as the signal to begin, I raced towards the trio of Lanterns. Hal reacted instantly, throwing up a green shield with red circuitry pulsing throughout the construct, tainting the will with rage. My fist slammed into the shield, and to my surprise, it didn't shatter upon contact. Instead, Hal was launched back, sailing through the air before his bubble shield crashed through a massive purple tree.
Ki flowed to my hands as I stretched them out, taking aim at the two that now flanked me. The moment my ki leaped from my hands, pools of green and red appeared between my ki shots and the two. I was forced to dodge my own attacks when they reappeared behind me, while the Green Lantern and Saint Walker went on the offensive. The Green Lantern formed a minigun, a darker green than normal twinged with blue.
He was trying to catch my attention, but I instead chose to focus on Saint Walker. Two ki spears formed in my hands, the longer of the two I tossed at the Green Lantern, while I thrust the second at Saint Walker. His expression was resolute, even as the spear raced towards his head, only to be diverted by a construct of blue from his ring.
My eyes narrowed -- reports were that the Blue Lanterns were support only, unable to make constructs. What had changed? Even as I questioned the event, I reacted seamlessly, choosing to pivot, following the momentum of the deflection before lashing out with a foot that caught Saint Walker in the stomach.
Spinning the ki spear in my hand, I went to plunge it into his back. It raced down, only to come to an abrupt stop when chains of green and red raced out from the swirling green and red portals, wrapping themselves around my spear and forearm. It was a decent effort by Hal, just not enough. My spear elongated, racing down to punch through Saint Walker's shoulder instead of his heart, only just barely managing to avoid death.
"Tarble!" I heard Hal roar in rage, rushing to me in a red streak. The chains wrapped around my arm surged upward, taking me away from the wounded Saint while the Green Lantern laid down covering fire to reach him. I allowed the action, choosing to focus on Hal. That teleportation ability of his was becoming bothersome. He was both offensive and support. I should have dealt with him first.
I said nothing in response, yanking my hand down to free myself of the chains. They were strong -- of all the constructs I had dealt with before, they were undeniably the strongest. However, a chain was only as strong as its weakest link. Given the circumstances, it was no surprise that the green links were the weakest.
His green ring formed some sort of gun, but because it was translucent, I saw a red bead inside it. Electricity cackled in the gun and it was then that I noticed it was a rail gun, similar to the one Avery preferred to use. The red shell was launched at me at hypersonic speed, shattering the sound barrier as a shockwave visibly surged from the barrel of the gun. My ki spear spun it in my hand sharply before I launched it at the red shell.
The two clashed in midair with a spectacular explosion that seemed to envelop the gulf of space between us. I couldn't see Hal, but I could sense his presence. A Destructo Disk formed in my hand before I launched it at him, letting the Destructo Disk cut through the explosion as if someone had taken an eraser to it and drew a line through the energy and light.
Hal apparently had the same idea, because at the same moment, I was forced to dodge a red shell that narrowly avoided my head. I felt the wind brush over my face, rustling my hair -- he had a way to track me. And my attack failed to kill him, because a split second later, a portal behind me appeared before another shot raced through it.
"I was mocking you earlier," I spoke aloud, deftly dodging the shot as I zeroed in on Hal, reaching out with a hand towards the first spear that I threw. "But you have gotten stronger. If only because you've learned a few useful tricks." I could acknowledge that much.
However, Hal overplayed his hand with his reliance on them. Another portal appeared in my blind spot, and at that same moment I sent the spear flying through it while I zeroed in on Hal. The spear tore through his gun as he flew around the fading explosion of light, destroying it, but he still seemed to expect me when I rushed to him.
A shield appeared before him, blocking my fist, though only barely. A crack formed in his shield as I followed the momentum I had built up. He snarled at me as I sent us into a crash course with the wilderness below. Only for that crack to be healed when the green of his shield darkened, mixed with blue. "And you're still Frieza's lapdog!" Hal hurled the insult at me, lashing out with a wave of red from his red ring. I effortlessly dodged, slowing down as Hal was sent flying through trees, dirt, and stone alike.
My attention shifted to Saint Walker -- blood still dripped down his suit, but his expression remained resolute. "I had hoped we might have a discussion," Saint Walker spoke, sounding disappointed.
"What is there to discuss?" I questioned, cocking my head. "The Guardians are my enemy. Nothing can change that except for their defeat." Where was the Green Lantern? Ah, with Sinestro. So he decided to not be useless.
Saint Walker nodded, "As are they ours," Saint Walker informed. He turned sharply towards Hal, "Wait! Hal, I ask that you wait!"
Hal snarled as he continued to rush forward, blasting rays of violent red energy at me in an almost mindless way. He only paused his onslaught when Saint Walker darted down, placing himself between us with his back facing towards me. My hand itched to take advantage of the opening, but I fought it down. I… I just couldn’t tell if it was because of that nagging voice, or because I was interested in why he was willing to stand between us.
“Walker -- He killed Kilowog. My friend. He’s killed billions. He’s the fucking cause of every fucking terrible thing in the universe as far as I’m concerned, so get the fuck out the way,” Hal snapped, fury etched into his face. That was interesting. I had read Avery’s report, but seeing it happen was different. Hal had struck a balance between rage and will, letting the two emotions temper and strengthen one another… but it seemed that balance was fragile.
“That may be,” Saint Walker said, “but you swore to me that if there was a way to avoid bloodshed, then you would take it. And you, Hal Jordan, for all your faults, are not a liar,” Saint Walker insisted, staring down the snarling human. A question lingered on my tongue, but I swallowed it. It had been six months. Broly should have arrived on Earth and settled down. I wondered if he was laying low, or if he had already drawn attention to himself?
“Prince Tarble,” Saint Walker began, turning to look at me. “We have defected from the Guardian’s of the Universe,” he informed, his expression grave, almost as if the words hurt to say. I simply cocked an eyebrow in response -- I had known Hal had, and given that the two had left with him, I had assumed as much. “With the aid of Garnet, we have managed to replace the green central power battery… and it is time for us to begin the rebellion in earnest.”
Huh. “You’re asking me for support?” I questioned, tilting my head. There was a prospect I hadn’t considered.
“Fuck no,” Hal snarled at me from over Saint Walker’s shoulder. “You’re a monster, Tarble. If there’s any justice left in this universe, then someone will take you down for everything you’ve done. I can only hope that I’m the one that gets to do it.”
I ignored him, choosing to focus on Saint Walker. He was the more composed of the two, “I’m afraid that… will not be possible at the current state of things. What I am proposing is a nonaggression pact -- you do not attack us, and we shall not attack you or your forces. The pact lasts for the duration of the war, until our enemies have been defeated.” Saint Walker corrected -- even still, the idea had appeal.
“Do you expect any to defect to your side?” I questioned, mulling over what the offer could bring to the table. They wouldn’t be allies, but the fewer Green and Blue Lanterns I had to deal with, the better. It meant I could spread out more Yellow Lanterns across my fronts, leaving the Green Lanterns entirely to Atocitius.
“I suspect many shall when we release news of the Guardian’s many crimes,” Saint Walker answered while Hal sucked his teeth.
“The Guardians will just cut off the rings of those that think of defecting,” I pointed out. That’s what they did to Kaylark. “Hal should know that better than most.” The look I received would have killed a lesser Saiyan. It was a look of absolute, soul-consuming, maddening hate that words couldn’t truly capture. Yet, he didn’t rise to the bait. Will tempered his rage. Despite his shortcomings and his reliance on power rings, I thought he would have made a good Saiyan.
“We have accounted for that possibility,” Saint Walker hedged, deciding not to give a straight answer on what they had planned. Meaning that they likely planned on swooping in and rescuing would-be rebels when their rings were deactivated. “Do we have an accord?”
I mulled it over for a moment longer, “Why bother with the accord at all?” I questioned, looking for a hidden trap. In the end, I undeniably gained more than them with this deal. It wasn’t like I didn’t have a surplus of enemies for them to hide behind. Even without the deal, I would be inclined to let them do their thing if it meant distracting the Guardians.
Saint Waker offered a slight smile, “Because, six months ago… in a galaxy torn asunder by war and chaos… with your ascension to Supreme Commander, you gave the galaxy hope. If Garnet wasn’t still upset with you being rude with him, I would imagine that a blue ring would have appeared before you. To the citizens of the Trade Organization, to the soldiers that fight -- you are their hope that this madness will come to an end.”
I knew that. That’s why I did everything that I did. “That’s not a reason,” I responded. I would still be their enemy with or without a blue power ring. Not to mention, the only reason I would take one would be to add it to my growing collection.
“To you, I would imagine that it wouldn’t be. You have abandoned hope entirely in favor of taking the future into your own hands,” Saint Walker answered. He… wasn’t wrong there. Time spent waiting and hoping for things to change was time that could be spent making them change. “I… know the feeling well, I suppose. Perhaps, in the future, I can share the story with you.”
I doubt it. “And the Indigo Lanterns?” I questioned, thinking I found the hook. “Shall they be a part of this deal?”
“If you think we’re going to leave them to suffer in your hands, then-” Hal cut himself off, visibly struggling to control himself. I couldn’t tell if he was always like this, or it was just me that set him off.
“If it would be possible, we would like them to join our ranks,” Saint Walker admitted. That wasn’t surprising. Will, Hope, and Compassion. I had reservations about letting what was left of the Indigo Tribe go free, especially considering their power set. However, provided that their word was kept, the Guardians of the Universe could fall. The Green Lanterns themselves could fall.
This wasn’t an opportunity that I could pass up.
“The Indigo power battery stays with me,” I decided. That way, I would be in control of the Indigo lanterns to a degree. I’m sure that they would attempt to make another one like Saint Walker just admitted to with the green power battery, but that would take them some time based on the time spent from their defection to now.
Saint Walker offered a slow nod, clearly not happy with the compromise, but he knew better than to argue with it. Hal looked absolutely murderous, but I ignored him.
“Then you have a deal.”
