by CSyphrett
The small diner in Detroit was filled with the aroma of sizzling fries and fresh coffee. John Stewart and Katma Tui sat at a booth, their laughter echoing as they enjoyed the friendly atmosphere, a stark contrast to their often chaotic lives as Green Lanterns. They found themselves laughing gently as the elderly Ren Moody recounted tales from the neighborhood. It had been a while since John’s last visit.
“So there I was,” Ren chuckled, wiping a stray tear from his eye. “I was trying to convince this young fella to leave the damn pigeons alone. He was convinced he could train them to play poker. Can you believe that?”
Katma Tui, her smile bright, shook her head. “Only in Detroit, Ren,” she said, her voice laced with amusement.
“Ren, you always know how to make a story sound like an epic saga,” John laughed.
“Well, you know, Johnny-boy, it’s all in the delivery!” Ren said, beaming. “Like the time that raccoon tried to steal my lunch!”
“I’d pay to see that!” chuckled Katma.
John watched Katma’s smile, feeling a sense of peace. Maybe I should find a place to live here again, he mused, so Kat and I could get away once in a while. The Green Lantern Citadel doesn’t afford us much in the way of privacy. He made a mental note to discuss this with Katma later, but he did not want to spoil the moment. It had been a long time since Katma Tui had looked this happy.
Suddenly, a nervous-looking man approached the table where the trio sat, away from the regular customers. “Mr. Ren?” he said tentatively. “There’s been some trouble at the shelter. Could you come with me, please?”
Moody stood up, laughter vanishing from his gaze and replaced by a look of deep concern. “What is it, Leon?” he asked.
***
Noleon Fae soared through the cosmos on a sleek emerald fish construct, the stars twinkling around him. As he approached Earth, his power ring provided a listing of every Green Lantern on the planet.
What could Hive want on Earth? he pondered, wondering if he should be concerned about his intentions on this world. He recalled the warrant on his board at home. He’s committed numerous homicides to achieve his goals. A little thing like a small platoon of Green Lanterns wouldn’t stand in his way.
The urgency of his mission pressed on him as Fae guessed that Hive might have already put plans into motion to keep the other Green Lanterns occupied while he pursued his agenda, whatever that might be.
Recalling how he had met her once before, Fae decided to lock onto the signal of Katma Tui’s power ring. Whenever he found himself outside the jurisdiction of his own space sector, he liked to contact local Green Lanterns. Standard practice, he mused. I’ll inform her of my intentions before searching for my quarry.
Following the signal from his ring, Noleon Fae approached a certain inhabited building in a human city. He descended cautiously, fading from sight with the help of an octopus-like creature conjured by his ring. Fae approached the door, listening for any voices within.
***
In Detroit, Ren Moody led his friends John Stewart and Katma Tui to the shelter to investigate the reported issues. He explained how, several years ago, he had partnered with others to give homeless individuals a second chance. Together, they set up this establishment to provide assistance to those down on their luck. Occasionally, that meant he also needed to mediate disputes among residents. As a former Navy boxer, he had a mean right hook to back up his words if needed. Ren expected that whatever problem had arisen was likely another such argument.
“What’s going on in here?” Ren asked as he opened the door, his voice serious.
As they stepped into the shelter, John Stewart reacted instinctively, barely erecting a shield as a beam from a television attempted to cut him in half.
“What the–?!” cried Katma Tui.
Nearby, a pay phone exploded, sending debris flying. John scanned the room, spotting wires that sprang to life, erupting from the wall sockets to ensnare some of the shelter’s residents.
While John’s attention was focused elsewhere, Leon suddenly turned, his expression blank as he swung an arm at Katma. Caught off guard by the unexpected attack, she went sprawling onto the floor.
Ren Moody was the first to react, taking a swing at the assailant with practiced skill. This was one of those strike-first and ask-questions-later situations, but Leon’s head barely moved from the blow. “What in the world?!” Moody exclaimed.
Before Leon could retaliate, a green dragon suddenly burst through the door, roaring and unleashing green flames at the rogue television.
“This ends now!” Katma shouted as she raised her ring and shot a beam at the false Leon, slicing through its body. Pale liquid sprayed the air as it fell apart into two pieces.
“Let’s make sure no one’s hurt!” John said, hastily cutting the wire tentacles. Hope no one was killed before our arrival! he thought.
***
In the Soviet Union, Kilowog moved quickly despite the bulk he carried and was able to react immediately to defend himself. With a glowing green shield formed by his ring, he blocked the energy beam from the empty Rocket Red armor.
“What was that all about?” he grumbled, scanning the suit and confirming it was unoccupied.
Suddenly, four other suits fired at his shield in unison, causing him to slide back along the floor. Sighing, he said reluctantly, “Guess I’ll have to dismantle all of ya.”
Instantly, multiple tendrils of green light formed into flying tools that attacked the suits with precision, dismantling them bolt by bolt. Within seconds, the armor lay in scattered component parts across the floor. A chop shop couldn’t have done a quicker job.
“Just what is goin’ on here?” Kilowog wondered to himself.
***
At the Fortress of Solitude, Green Lantern Hal Jordan stood poised, his eyes sharp as he prepared for the next wave of mechanical foes. The room was dimly lit, the eerie glow of the Superman robots casting shadows on the walls. These robots won’t know what hit them, Hal silently vowed.
Green Lantern knew the Superman robots would keep trying to block his power ring with the yellow shields on their capes. The robots had already wrapped the cloth around their right arms for that reason, he guessed.
None of the fighters noticed Driq. He stealthily pulled himself up against the wall, his chest slowly repairing itself. A gurgling sound emitted from his throat as the damage to his body was fixed.
With as much of a determined focus as he was capable, Driq took aim and fired a beam into the exposed back of the nearest robot. The beam cut a clean square through its body, exiting out its chest. The undead Green Lantern made a noise of contentment at his surprise attack.
The remaining Superman robots were caught off-guard by the unexpected counterattack. This moment of indecision allowed Salaak and Hal to slam the robots together in a massive crusher powered by their combined will.
“Now that’s teamwork!” Salaak remarked.
Driq made a raspberry noise as he shakily got to his feet.
“I take it back, Driq,” drawled Salaak. “You are good for something.”
“Let’s try to find Mongul,” Hal Jordan suggested, looking serious. “I doubt he walked away on his own.”
***
In Detroit, John Stewart hugged the lightly bruised Katma Tui close, concern etched on his face as he surveyed the state of the shelter. Ren Moody was busy helping the residents, ensuring their safety.
“What’s going on, man?” John urgently asked the Green Lantern who had just arrived.
Noleon Fae straightened his hat slightly, pondering if he would ever again love someone as much as Stewart loved his fellow Green Lantern. Probably never, he concluded. “I’m looking for someone,” Fae said aloud. “He calls himself the Hive. He is a master of mechanical metamorphosis. It was just luck that I arrived here in time to help.”
“Mechanical metamorphosis?” John asked, intrigued.
“He can take machinery, bend it to his will, and transform it into whatever he desires,” Fae explained, nodding.
“Like the television, John,” Katma interjected. “But what does he want here? What’s his goal?”
“And do you have any ideas about where he could be now?” John added urgently.
“My informant said he was getting something from here,” Fae replied. “I hope to trail him now that he has shown his hand.”
“We’re with you, Fae,” said a determined Katma, changing her civilian clothes into her green and gray uniform.
“Right,” agreed John, who was already garbed as a Green Lantern.
Noleon Fae created a green dog with a bat’s head, which dragged him into the air by a long leash. John Stewart and Katma Tui followed closely behind on their energy beams.
***
On the other side of the world, Kilowog examined the remnants of the Rocket Red armor he had destroyed in his Russian workshop. “What a mess,” he grumbled.
Suddenly, a small electronic signal, unlike anything on Earth, responded to his probe. “What’s this?” he wondered aloud.
With a shrug, he took flight, following the makeshift beacon with determination.
***
At the Fortress of Solitude, Green Lantern Hal Jordan created a screen, knowing that Mongul’s life form was unique on Earth. The screen flickered, revealing a small blip heading directly south from the Fortress.
“It seems Mongul is not alone,” Salaak observed, holding up his own screen. A small flash indicated that something was moving on the same course as the alien conqueror at the same speed.
“We need to find out who our body snatcher is,” Hal Jordan said quietly. “Let’s move.”
***
The Atlantic Ocean roared with the sounds of churning waves and the echoing whispers of the deep. The Green Lantern Corps converged over this vast expanse of blue, their emerald auras reflecting on the water’s surface. After comparing notes, they quickly became convinced that they were pursuing the same target. Now, all they had to do was dive down and retrieve it.
“All right, team,” the original Green Lantern of Earth said firmly. “We’re closing in on our target. Let’s recover Mongul.”
Hal Jordan led the charge, his expression determined. Recovering Mongul held far greater importance for him than capturing some felon from across the galactic arm. John Stewart, Katma Tui, Kilowog, Salaak, and Driq followed closely behind, their rings glowing as they communicated.
A waterproof shell encased him as he descended into the depths. Green Lantern soon approached a concealed ship resting on the ocean floor. His power ring illuminated the vessel as he descended. “There it is,” he said through his ring.
Suddenly, small lasers pulsed at him as he neared the hull, cutting through the water. Green Lantern deflected the beams effortlessly. Not today! thought Hal, gritting his teeth.
With a surge of power, Green Lantern charged straight into the metal hull. His ring punched a hole for him, propelling him forward like a bullet. Landing on his feet, he scanned the area to get his bearings.
A wave of yellow energy slammed into him, throwing Hal against the inner wall. He struck hard, but his ring shielded him from the secondary impact as he fell in a fuzzy cloud. “What the–?!” he muttered, struggling to his feet.
The others landed behind him, caught off guard by a second wave of energy as it struck them. Noleon Fae managed to shield his face with one hand, the only Green Lantern spared as the others tumbled down in a heap.
“So it comes down to the two of us,” a figure clad in yellow armor said, stepping from the shadows. A blister rested between the shoulders of the creature. “I’ll be glad to deal with you once and for all.”
“Hive of Quiranos,” Noleon Fae responded steadily, his coat slightly smoking. “I have a warrant for your arrest. Come along quietly, and you won’t get hurt.”
“Please. You think you can stop me?” the other figure sneered as another wave of energy surged forth. It washed over the thin alien, who staggered but managed to stand firm against the onslaught.
“Do it again,” Fae said, grimacing as blood began leaking from his nose.
Hive raised his hands, firing twin beams of force at the Green Lantern. Fae staggered back two steps. Hive fired again and again, but the Flarain would not succumb to the yellow energy blasts.
“How’s he doing that?” John Stewart asked, shielding his eyes from the light with his hand.
“I can’t find Mongul on board,” said Salaak, scanning with his ring.
“That poozer’s sure throwin’ out some joules,” Kilowog commented, impressed.
Driq aimed his ring and encased the Lanterns in a protective bubble, passing them out of the ship.
As Hive checked his meter, he began to panic. This Green Lantern is absorbing everything I throw at him and still won’t fall! he realized.
The carrier wave transmission — the very reason he had come here — was still active. He needed to allow the upload to complete in order to finish his mission. Somehow, he had to buy a little more time before he could jack out and escape to a more favorable location. With urgency, he triggered the self-destruct mechanism on the ship, hoping it would force Fae to back off.
Noleon Fae lifted his ring hand, and a ball of burning air hovered inches above his palm. The sphere grew until it enveloped Fae, cloaking him in a maelstrom of energy. Part of the deck vanished under the sudden onslaught. “You won’t escape… that easily,” he vowed.
Hive fired into the miasma as he backed away. He just needed a little more time. The sphere expanded under the assault, and he thought he heard the words “dead or alive” as it tore along the deck, consuming everything in its path.
“No!” cried Hive, panicking. He attempted to eject from the back of his unwilling mount. That was when the fireball struck, engulfing the armored form completely.
Then the ship exploded as the self-destruct completed its countdown.
Outside the ship, the local branch of the Green Lantern Corps watched a column of flame erupt as the self-destruct activated. The water burned beneath its touch as it expanded.
“Oh, no!” Katma Tui cried in alarm.
“We need to contain it!” Hal Jordan exclaimed, weakly casting a green light from his ring.
A bucket formed over the heated molecules, almost immediately deforming from the intense energy. The other Green Lanterns added their willpower to Hal Jordan’s effort, refining the construct to swiftly douse the stream of exploding molecules.
“I didn’t see Fae or that Hive get out,” John Stewart noted with concern.
“Fae is registering at the center of this,” Salaak stated. “I can’t get anything for Hive or Mongul.”
The Green Lanterns dispersed their device once the fire transformed into cooling water. A dead fish floated by.
Noleon Fae stood suspended in the same position where he had begun absorbing the energy hurled at him by Hive. For a moment, his lambent eyes were as blank as yellow pebbles, seeing nothing. Then he blinked, straightened his restored coat and hat, and slowly floated upward to join his fellow Lanterns.
“Dead or alive…” he murmured under his breath as he ascended.