The Sentinel’s Lair
Jay Garrick stood outside the Lair. He watched the Sentinel and Captain Marvel rocket through the atmosphere. Command Assassin Elise Zoldar found him there. She watched him pound the railing in frustration.
“Commander, how do you do it? I care so much about Mary, but there is so much of her heart I will never touch. That frustrates me.”
She put her hand on his shoulder.
“Jay, you have a hard row to hoe. She’s lived 65 years without you – an entire lifetime. You’re young, but she only appears to be. Despite that, I know she cares deeply for you.”
He put his head in his hands.
“When I see the two of them together, I know there’s a part of her that will never belong to me. Alan was gone almost as long as I was, but her tie to him is so much stronger.”
She kept her hand on his shoulder.
“I see it in her eyes, Jay. She does love you. She never stopped. Hold on to that. Her love endures.” She grinned. “But then, you’re here because you’ve already earned that love.”
She watched him relax. Poor man. So much of his past is gone. It will take time for him to forget. But he does have a place here. Helena Wayne is not the only one to choose friends wisely.
She noticed a subtle shift in his bearing. He seemed to transform before her eyes. The shoulders straightened. The look of frustration vanished, replaced by a look of quiet confidence. Intelligence burned from his eyes.
“Thank you, Elise. This will all take getting used to. But first things first: right now, I don’t know enough to be effective. I won’t put your lives in danger because of my lack of knowledge. I need to learn and learn quickly.”
She smiled. You owe me a story Alan Scott. Where did you find this one?
“You sound like Alan. Believe me, that’s a compliment. Ask me anything you want, and I’ll arrange for your education. You’ll also need to spend time with Alanna. She can answer most of the questions that we can’t.”
“Thank you.” He smiled. “Question number one: what does the word Shantar mean?”
“Wow.” She was impressed. “The meaning has probably been lost to time. Let me ask.” She tapped her comms. “Jerik? Do you know what the word Shantar means?”
They heard laughter on the other end.
“Commander, you of all people should know!” The laughter resumed.
She covered her comms device.
“Now you know why the Shantar have capitol punishment!” She grinned at Jay. “Jerik is the historian of the party, along with everything else he does.” She uncovered her comms device. “You’re having much too much fun. What does it mean?”
He laughed again.
“‘Defenders of Life’s Green Flame.’ We stand against those who would end the flames of life in our universe. Honestly Commander, I thought you of all people would have known.” Jerik laughed once again.
Hyperspace – An hour later
“Alan, why are we slowing down?” Captain Marvel matched the Sentinel’s deceleration.
“Mary, I don’t know where the Green Lantern is. I just know the path Hollika Rahn should have taken. All we can do is match the path and look for anything that looks like the GLE.”
They bounced out of Hyperspace. Finding nothing, they bounced again.
The Sentinel’s Lair
The Shade solidified in the Command Center.
“Damn! I know what they’ve done. Elise, the Kayzik have tapped the Guardian’s Central Power Battery!”
Commander Zoldar walked towards her.
“Oh, no! We’re picking up increased communications activity. The Kayzik have started an offensive. Several border Galaxies are under attack. The populations of those worlds are in great danger. Any idea where the battery is?”
“Yes! I just got back from Oa. They’ve installed it there. They’re tapping it directly. That’s why the Green Lanterns’ power reduced and finally failed. We did not realize how much power was being stolen because there were so few Green Lanterns to draw from it. They’ve finally tapped all the power.”
“All those people, in so much danger?” The Demoness seemed shocked.
“Who the hell are you?” Alanna asked Linda Danvers.
“That’s a long story.” Elise interrupted. “This is Linda. She works for us. She fights to preserve the sanctity of life. The rest gets complicated.”
Linda looked down on her.
“The Central Power Battery is at Oa?”
“Yes, Linda. We’ll have to wait until my Dad gets back. Then we’ll have to transit Hyperspace to cut it off. That’s going to take a while. Worse part is we’ve got to wait for him to drop out of Hyperspace before his comms will work. Let’s figure out what we’re going to tell him.”
“Linda,” Elise interjected, “Alanna Scott is the Sentinel’s daughter. It’s a little complicated, but it will have to wait.”
Linda seemed staggered.
“So much life in so much danger.” She left the room.
“Elise, what was that about?”
“I don’t know. All I know is that she’s half-demon. She serves life, but I can’t begin to understand what motivates her. Well, maybe she’ll stay out of our way for a while. She’s rude, arrogant, and kind of a pest.”
Alanna laughed.
Hyperspace
Captain Marvel frowned. The Sentinel nodded back.
“This does get frustrating. Even Kira’s super vision would not be much help, except to do what I’m doing. Too much territory.”
“And just what are you doing? Scanning for the ring’s energy signature?”
He laughed.
“Mary, you know me too well.”
Oa
So much life in danger! She flew down the halls. Wish I knew where I was going, but the ring does act like a beacon. Damn! I’m under attack! She dodged the laser.
Hyperspace - two minutes later
The Sentinel decelerated and pointed forward.
“She dropped out of hyperspace just about here. Shouldn’t be too hard to spot. She was pulling a cargo load. It was supposed to be in an old survival pod shaped like a bullet. If she’s as smart as I think she is, she jettisoned the cargo and got in the pod with her passengers. Question is, where’s the pod?”
They floated in normal space.
“Mary, she was here. I’m picking up traces of some kind of fuel.”
“Look Alan, there are planets around this Sun.” She pointed down beneath them. They had exited Hyperspace just above a large red sun.
“Oh no, Alan! We’ll lose our powers under a Red Sun!” She pretended to be horror-stricken.
“Catty, aren’t you?” He lifted an eyebrow.
“Just a little. I do love Kira. Right now, I wish I had her vision powers. On the other hand, she would not have them here.”
The Sentinel held his tongue and followed his cousin. (Elf note: Terra’s Revenge – Chapter 8, for the reason why!). They followed the pod’s trail to the planet’s surface. They flew through the undergrowth.
Oa
Damn those lasers. Damn those warriors! They’re coming from everywhere! I wish I were a little more experienced with this! I sense the glow up ahead! Powerful wings drove the silent warrior. I’m not very smart, trying this on my own. But maybe I can buy time for our cause. I’m expendable – no one will miss me. But I want to help, just this once! Steely resolve increased the warrior’s speed.
The Red Sun Planet
“Here it is cousin. They look a little groggy, but they’ll be OK.”
“That’s good, Mary. Lets check out the ship. Then we’ll haul it back to Earth.”
Oa
I see it. Almost there. Damn! Automatic sensors. I’m not very good on technology. I wish I were smarter. Bless my thick hide! Bless – HA! She ducked below the lasers. All I have to do is to knock this stuff out until the real heroes get here. I am no loss. They will make the real difference, if they have the time. She hovered. I wonder what will happen when I truly die in this form. Will it be the end of everything? She flew into the chamber. Another laser burned into her. AAIIEE! Over there! That’s the main connection. Now, how do I get to the damned thing?
The Red Sun Planet
“Alan Scott, we are fine. Thank you.” Hollika Rahn climbed out of the craft. A young Shantar climbed out behind her. “This is Chilly, an addition to our kitchen staff.”
The young woman smiled.
“I am pleased to meet you, Sentinel. Don’t let the nickname scare you. I promise I serve warm food.”
He smiled.
“Very pleased to meet you. This is Captain Marvel. Welcome to our crew.” He surveyed the craft. “Let’s continue this conversation in Hyperspace.” They lifted off the planet. Just before they entered hyperspace, their communications activated.
“Sentinel, we’ve got one hell of a problem. This is what we know . . . .”
Oa
Heated lasers bore down on her. Almost my end. If only I can make a difference! She grabbed the cable with all her might. She tore it out and threw it into the console. It exploded. The lasers hit her with increased force.
AAAAAAARGH! Must stay quiet. Must stay. They’ll find my ring. Will guide them. Another laser blast tore into her. Uuuhh . . . She fell into the top of the battery. Her world went dark.
Hyperspace
“Sentinel?” Hollika Rahn called him. “Look!” Her ring blazed with power. “What happened?”
The Sentinel’s Lair
“Commander! Something’s happened!” Garja Jenna motioned to her. “The Kayzik are breaking off their attack. The Green Lantern’s power rings are coming back on line. Something hit them at Oa. Something dangerous.”
“K’ryssma!” Elise buzzed her. “Can you get a fix? Can you pick up anything on Oa?”
“Commander,” she answered, “I’m picking up a signal from our Central Power Battery. The Kayzik have been cut off from it. There’s something odd. There’s a ring on top of it. It’s not moving. Even more odd! It’s the ring we gave to Linda Danvers!”
Elise turned around to her staff.
“Mayday! Find her! Now! Get Alanna up here! Contact the Sentinel as soon as he drops out of Hyperspace again!”
Forty-five minutes later
“We missed it!” Alan Scott slammed his fists into the table. “We knew she was a teleport demon! We ignored her and she still kept her promise to us. She used the Portals of Hell to get to Oa. I swear that the Green Flame will never forget her! Damn us for missing what she was!” He turned to his daughter. “Alanna! We’re leaving now!”
Seconds later, they broached Hyperspace.
Oa, Thirty minutes later
I’ve never seen him so angry! He’s absolutely furious! The Shade followed the Sentinel out of Hyperspace.
“Alanna, you get 3 minutes to find her. Then it’s my turn!” His rage inflamed his fire.
The shadow slid through the halls of Oa. It found the Central Power Battery and the tiny bloodied and broken form above it. There’s barely any life force at all. She’s only lasted this long because the ring put her in stasis. The shadow drifted closer. We allowed her to fight this battle? What kind of people are we? She gently lifted the tiny form into her shadow and sent out a dark force blast. She knew he would understand. In seconds, she was in Hyperspace.
-------
Moving the Central Power Battery to Oa had been a substantial investment for the Kayzik in time and resources. Oa gave them a central point from which to broadcast its power to the front lines. Because of the size of the Central Power Battery, the effort to move it through Hyperspace had been considerable. The Kayzik had counted on the strategic advantage. The Kayzik had not counted on the Sentinel’s rage.
-------
God damn you! You will pay for this! Earth’s first Green Lantern tore through the atmosphere. The Kayzik lasers proved a pitiful threat against invulnerable Green Fire. The Sentinel fried the Kayzik in his path without remorse. Fire blazed through the halls of Oa. The smell of burning flesh filled the corridors. Nothing remotely organic survived in his wake. He came upon the battery without slowing. He tore it of its moorings and flew upwards. He carried Central Power Battery through the atmosphere. Within seconds, he had carried it into Hyperspace.
Sentinel’s Lair - Thirty minutes later
Alanna rocked the still form.
“This is what we send to fight our battles? This?” She turned to Elise. “This?”
K’ryssma tried to comfort her.
“We’ve done what we can. I think you got her here in time. She will need to sleep.” K’ryssma put her hand on Alanna’s shoulder. “She has honored the ring as have few before her. She saved many lives with her sacrifice.”
Alanna trembled.
“Sacrifice? From a little girl! We should all be ashamed of ourselves! We send children to fight our battles!” She held the young girl close. “Did any of you think to ask how old she really was? Go away! I will stay with her.”
She rocked the young girl. “Rock a bye baby in the tree top. When the wind blows, the cradle will rock . . . .”
New Oa
The Sentinel brought the Central Power Battery out of Hyperspace. He headed for the Guardian’s Compound. He slammed the battery into its moorings. Green flame melted the ground around the base. The Central Power Battery was secure in its new home.
He headed for the Military compound.
The Warlord greeted him.
“We will guard the Battery. My friend, the Sentinel’s Lair has just provided an update. The girl will recover. She is sleeping. Your daughter is with her.”
“Zoldar, powers or no, she is barely more than a child. We had no business letting her do that. We should have watched her more carefully.”
Zoldar angered.
“Then you miss the entire point. Do you not understand what she did? My friend, there are billions who are alive tonight because she dared to act. Would you have done any less?”
Alan shook his head.
“I hope not. I pray not.” He looked up at his friend. “We took her in as a lost soul. I knew she had a lot of potential. I had no idea she would do something like this!”
Zoldar relaxed.
“I don’t think she is lost any more. I think she has earned her home.” Zoldar spoke earnestly. “Alan, my culture honors heroism, no matter the form. It is not she who is honored by the Oan’s ring. It is the ring that is honored because she wears it. She has earned her place on your team. Be proud of her. Treat her as the hero she is, not as the child she may appear to be. That was an extremely mature act. Don’t belittle it in any way.”
He put his hand on Alan’s shoulder.
“I have a bottle of Katarian brandy. Come have a glass with me before you head home.”
Alan nodded.
“Thank you. And thank you for the sanity.”
The large warrior grinned.
“Alan, that’s what friends are for.”
The Sentinel’s Lair – two days later
Alanna watched the young woman try to stretch. Linda struggled to sit up. She glanced up at Alanna.
“What am I doing here?” She barely whispered. “The last thing I remember, something was shooting at me. Did I do okay? Was I able to help at all? I feel so tired.”
Alanna could not find the words to answer her. Instead, she quietly picked Linda up and carried her through the halls of the Sentinel’s Lair. She walked into the command center. She walked to the window and activated the opening. The wall became a balcony. She stepped on to it.
Linda struggled to look around.
“That bad?” She asked weakly. “Are you going to toss me off the balcony?” They heard laughter behind them. Linda watched the crowd form around them.
Alanna spoke.
“Welcome little sister. If no one claims you for their family, I claim you for mine.” She smiled at Linda. “I want you to understand how proud of you we are.”
“Me?”
“Yes, you, Squirt.” She nodded towards the Sun. “See that ball in the sky?”
“It hurts my eyes.”
Alanna shifted her position.
“Billions upon billions of creatures can look up into the sunshine unafraid because you acted. Hundreds of worlds were saved because of what you did. You pulled the plug on a major invasion. The Burrow world of H’lven was saved because of what you did. You saved Ch’p’s world.”
“My favorite Chipmunk?”
They heard a chitter behind them.
“and proud to be your favorite Chipmunk!” Ch’p floated up to them. “Proud of you.”
He watched her eyes close.
Alanna touched her forehead to the sleeping form. She carried Linda back to her room. She tucked the fragile form into bed and settled back into her chair.